Firefighters hike Camelback Mountain in honor of slain captain

PHOENIX (FOX 10) - Sometimes, you have to put one foot in front of the other to walk away from pain.

"Kyle was just an amazing man," said Tempe firefighter Eric Arias. "He was one of the best ever in uniform."

But that doesn't mean you forget.

"He was vibrant, he loved," Nicole Downing said.

This morning, a hike up Echo Canyon on Camelback Mountain helped his brothers and sisters remember how much they miss Captain Kyle Brayer.

Firefighters are a tight-knit group. When the Tempe Fire Department lost Capt. Brayer last year in a tragic shooting, their loss was suffered by all firefighters.

Members from Phoenix and Avondale were among about 100 people who hiked in memory of the captain today.

This was the second year for the hike, with some of the participants wearing 40-and-50-pound sacks on their backs like the captain often did.

When they reached the top, they felt a sense of pride, knowing their friend was smiling down.