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Community remembers fallen Arizona firefighter killed while battling wildfire
The family and friends of Glendale wildland firefighter Nick Hutcherson gathered for his funeral after he died battling the Snyder Fire on the Utah-Colorado border. FOX 10's Andrew Christiansen reports.
PHOENIX - The family and friends of fallen wildland firefighter Nick Hutcherson, who was from Glendale, gathered together to honor his life after he died fighting the wildfire along the Utah-Colorado border.
What we know:
The funeral started with a ceremonial transfer. His casket was processed into the church with several firefighters and the U.S. Forest Service saluting him. Inside, several of his family and friends talked about his life and their memories of him.
The backstory:
Hutcherson worked with the U.S. Forest Service Kaibab National Forest, and he died while fighting the Snyder Fire on June 27. The fire, which burned more than 30,000 acres, was initially several fires that merged into one.
On July 9, his body was brought to the Deer Valley Airport and there was a dignified transfer, a procession of law enforcement and fire agencies, and his body was escorted to Hansen Mortuary.
On July 2, the body of Nick Hutcherson, a 27-year-old firefighter from Glendale, was returned to Deer Valley Airport in north Phoenix after he died fighting a wildfire near the Utah-Colorado border on June 27. (Photo of Hutcherson provided by the U.S …
What they're saying:
At the funeral, his friends and family talked about his time in the Navy and his passion for Muay Thai. His dad talked about how Nick was fascinated with fire trucks even before he could walk.
"Like a superhero, with its lights flashing, you stopped crying instantly. You just stared at it completely fascinated and, wow, it just hit me. I believe you fell in love with the fire department," Hutcherson's father said.
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Body of fallen Glendale firefighter returns home
The body of 27-year-old wildland firefighter Nick Hutcherson arrived at Deer Valley Airport on Thursday following his death at the out-of-state Snyder Fire. FOX 10's Jacob Luthi reports.
Big picture view:
Two other firefighters, Emily Barker of Clinton Township, Michigan, and Sydney Watson of Warrior, Alabama, also died while battling the fire.
What's next:
Fire officials say a serious accident team is investigating the three firefighters' deaths.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the U.S. Forest Service Kaibab National Forest records, Nick Hutcherson's father, and previous FOX 10 reports.