HAMILTON — People in an Ohio city remembered their fallen firefighter Wednesday, one year after he died fighting a house fire later determined to have been intentionally set.
Colleagues of Patrick Wolterman laid a wreath in his honor at a monument to firefighters in downtown Hamilton. There was also a moment of silence Wednesday morning at the public memorial ceremony.
Wolterman, 28, died after crashing through a floor last Dec. 28. It was the first death of a Hamilton firefighter in the line of duty since 1971.
“It’s been a challenging year,” said Tony Harris, president of the firefighters’ Hamilton local. He called Wednesday the anniversary of “a really hard day.”
But he said at the memorial that firefighters have appreciated the way the community has rallied around them.
He earlier told the Hamilton-Middletown Journal-News that besides supporting memorial funds, people have brought firefighters cookies or simply walked up to them to say “thank you.”
The memorial service was considered another way to help them heal.
“What Patrick gave was the ultimate sacrifice and we certainly hurt thinking about that … his bravery.” Harris said. He added that the firefighters also think about Wolterman’s family and their mourning.
A Butler County judge has scheduled the property owner’s trial on murder and aggravated arson charges for Feb. 21. Lester Parker, 66, has pleaded not guilty.
Firefighters have been attending his court appearances.
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