Photo: Facebook
A Kansas community is mourning the loss of a beloved firefighter who died nearly four weeks after he was seriously injured during a blaze.
While fighting a structure fire on Oct. 15, Lt. Malachi Brown of Baxter Springs Fire Auxiliary experienced “severe 3rd degree burns” over a fourth of his body, his wife, Jessica Brown, shared in a post to Facebook last month. Brown was flown to a burn unit in Missouri, where he was sedated and placed on a ventilator to help with swelling and pain management, Jessica wrote.
“There has been nothing ‘official’ but after talking to several nurses it may be December before he gets to leave the hospital, hopefully to go home, but could be a rehab facility for physical therapy,” she said. “If he gets to go home sooner that would be amazing, if he has to stay later, him healthy and safe is all that matters. This is the closest thing to a time-line we have gotten.”
“This is going to be a very long and hard journey,” Jessicaadded.
“He fought so hard for so long and we are so proud of the man he was,” Jessicawrote. “Thank you for all your prayers and support. We love you. Please keep an extra prayer for our area departments. They lost an amazing brother and friend.”
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A GoFundMecampaignhas raised over $1,400 for the family, and the fire department recently held abenefiton Brown’s behalf.
Other departments in the area also paid tribute to the fallen firefighter.
“Today we mourn the loss of Baxter Springs Firefighter Lt. Malachi Brown, who died in service to our community,” the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department wrote in a post to social media on Thursday after Brown’s death.
They continued: “Please join us in continued support for Lt. Browns wife, children, fellow firefighters, friends and family.”
source: people.com
