Saturday, firefighters from around North Carolina gathered in Raleigh’s Nash Square to honor thirteen of their brothers lost in the line of duty. Organizers with the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Foundation said the goal of the annual ceremony was making sure that sacrifice will never be forgotten. 

“Our purpose for today is to support the families, and recognize those that we’ve lost,” said Jeff Harkey, foundation spokesperson. 

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But family and friends said too many of those lost were struck down by a common killer: cancer. 

“The statistics of firefighters with cancers are staggering,” said Christy Burgess, whose husband, Nathan, was a Raleigh firefighter, and lost a battle with a job-related cancer in 2023.

“He was one who said if I can do this for my brothers to keep someone else from walking this path, that’s what my calling will be and this was how he faced it,” she continued. 

Starting at 10:30 a.m., fire crews surrounded the square with ladder trucks and engines. A giant American flag was hung across McDowell Street, in what organizers billed as a ‘static parade.’ 

The ceremony kicked off at 1 p.m. An honor guard, drummers, and people playing bagpipes all marched into the Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the center of Nash Square. Dozens of friends, family, and coworkers of the fallen flanked the outside. 

During the ceremony, the 13 names of the fallen were read, a bell was wrung, and family members were presented with a single rose, and an American flag. Each flag had been flown over the memorial. 

The names on this year’s list included firefighters lost to flames, cardiac arrest and one man, Tony Garrison, who died during a rescue attempt as Hurricane Helene slammed into the western mountains. The most common cause of death was cancer, claiming five firefighters on the list.  

“Today’s a really solemn day,” said Fayetteville Deputy Fire Chief Adam Ferguson. 

Ferguson was attending to honor fellow Fayetteville firefighter John Bowen, whose name was also added to the memorial, and who also lost a battle with cancer. 

“Something I’ll never forget is he told everybody he remembered learning about firefighters and cancer prevention and stuff, and he believed every word of it. He just never believed it would happen to him,” Ferguson said. 

WRAL has reported for years on the risks firefighters face from cancer on the job, including from cancer-causing forever chemicals found in their own suits - and on the steps lawmakers have taken to increase support for firefighters facing job related cancers. 

Christy Burgess has pushed for that increased support, but says it’s not enough. She’s continuing to try and raise awareness, hoping to prevent more names from ending up on this list. 

“We as a community, we as states, we as counties need to prevent the health of our firefighters first,” Burgess said.