A long-time friend moved to South Carolina. He's a mortician. He got the call to pick up one of the firefighters killed in the tragedy earlier this week. This is his email:
I went to the Medical University today to pick up our guy. It was unreal.
They closed the roads in downtown Charleston for me to arrive at 2pm. I get there, and there are scores of police and firefighters waiting for me. Six firefighters accompanied me to the morgue; when I loaded his body up, they walked out with me - 3 firefighters on each side of the stretcher and everybody saluted as I loaded him in the hearse.
On the way back to the funeral home, I had 12 police bikes leading me and two fire trucks behind me. The police blocked ALL exits on I-26 (three lanes) and it was just me in the hearse, lead by police and followed by firetrucks for the 25 minute drive back to the funeral home in Summerville. NO CARS were allowed on the interstate for the entire trip, including all streets blocked with officers saluting as we drove down Main street to the funeral home.
People lined the streets, news crews with cameras, etc.; it gave me goose bumps. When I returned to the funeral home, there were volunteer firefighters lining the route to the funeral home and six more firefighters helped me get the body to the prep. room.
The firefighter that we got was the last one that was pulled out of the building. He was burned beyond recognition. An autopsy was automatic and they had to take his jawbone for dental records - I unwrapped him at the funeral home and it was quite a sight. That poor guy died a horrible death and his arms were frozen up around his head as if he was "blocking" something. I can only hope that he died instantly.
It's been on the news all day long and they interviewed the last employee that was trapped in the building. He was certain that he was going to die, when the guy broke through the wall with an axe and dragged him out. He went back inside to look for others when the roof collapsed. Several employees were saved.
There is a mass funeral at the Charleston Coliseum on Friday, where all caskets will be present and memorial services & visitations through Sunday night.
True Heroes, boys...
