We buried a good man today. Twelve rigs and over 200 firefighters, captains and chiefs from all the local departments showed up. Nine pipers and a mixed honor guard from various departments participated. The large church was filled with friends, family, retired firefighters, and police. It was a good service, like so many others I have attended over the past years. His son spoke, the local union president-who is the son of a firefighter I worked with-spoke. A film collage of his life and open mike ended the service. Outside a military honor guard was there to honor his navy service.

For me the most emotional part happened in the small restroom in the church. I was in there with another guy. He was in uniform from the local department. He was a big guy, at least 6 foot 4 and 220 or better.
As we were washing our hands, I looked in the mirror and saw his eyes were red and he was having a hard time keeping it together. I said I have lost 6 friends I worked with to cancer and he nodded. He took off his hat and showed me a funeral announcement  he kept in the inside lining. He said it  was his captain who had died of cancer a few years ago. He had saved it and kept it there to feel close to his lost friend.

People who do not know us think we have a handle on our feelings, but we don't. We just know how to stuff them in a secret place we keep. I shook his hand and told him to stay safe. We were brothers and understood what it really means to be a firefighter.