State officials, families, and firefighters gathered on Friday, September 10th outside the capitol to memorialize firefighters killed in the line of duty, including one from southern Illinois.
Governor JB Pritzker honored the fallen firefighters and praised the bravery of the men and women who risk their lives to protect others.
"We all live in a safer world because our firefighters respond to our community's most daunting emergencies unwaveringly and unselfishly," he said. "They run toward danger so others can run for safety. They risk injury so others can survive. They endure trauma to alleviate ours."
Kody Vanfossen of Christopher was killed while responding to a commercial fire in downtown Christopher in May of 2019. Vanfossen and his father, also a firefighter, were searching for occupants when he became trapped in the building. Vanfossen was 24, and left behind his fiancée and young son.
