Funeral services were held Wednesday in Virginia for a firefighter who was killed while responding to a car crash as Hurricane Michael moved through the…
Funeral services were held Wednesday in Virginia for a firefighter who was killed while responding to a car crash as Hurricane Michael moved through the state last week.
Hanover County Fire Lt. Brad Clark, of Mechanicsville, died Thursday while responding to a two-vehicle crash on I-295 when a tractor trailer traveling southbound struck Clark’s engine from behind, Hanover County fire and emergency officials said.
Hundreds of mourners were expected to be in attendance in Doswell to memorialize the 13-year department veteran, WWBT reported .
Clark died at the scene of the crash, while two of his colleagues were hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, county officials said.
One of those firefighters had been working his first shift with the department when the crash occurred. He later need his leg amputated in order to save his life, WTVR reports.
Messages seeking additional comment on Wednesday regarding Clark’s injured colleagues were not immediately returned, but they were expected to recover as of Monday, department officials tweeted.
In a statement released Sunday, Clark’s family thanked people for the “outpouring of love and support” in the aftermath of his death. Clark’s relatives also said they weren’t angry with the driver of the tractor-trailer who crashed into the firefighter and Army veteran.
“He is also seriously injured and his family is hurting as well,” the statement read . “We harbor no ill will toward him. We wish only comfort for his family and healing for his wounds and encourage the community to do the same.”
Clark, who was remembered as a “dedicated public servant and family man,” is survived by his wife, Melanie, and four daughters, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch .
Donations in Clark’s memory can be made to the Hanover CREW Foundation, his relatives said. A GoFundMe page in his honor has also garnered more than $12,000 in donations as of Wednesday.
“He had an indescribable bond with his fellow firefighters and his legacy will live on in each and every one of them,” the GoFundMe page reads.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, Lester Labarge, of California, Maryland, was charged with reckless driving and cited for defective brakes. He was also hospitalized with serious injuries, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
