LODD: FF John Memory III, 19, Carrolton,VA

[Guest]

Very sad, a young life taken away. May he rest in peace and my prayers are w/his family, friends and the members of the Carrolton Volunteer Fire Dept.

Carrollton firefighter dies during training

The Virginian-Pilot

© September 18, 2006

Last updated: 11:09 PM

FRANKLIN - A 19-year-old Carrollton volunteer firefighter, named his department's firefighter of the year in 2005, died Saturday while participating in a training exercise.

John Paul Memory III, a firefighter and emergency medical technician, collapsed shortly after 1 p.m., said Fire Chief Joel Acree.

"J.P.," as he was known by friends, was leading other department members in performing an extrication demonstration as part of Franklin's Patriot's Day celebration.

Acree said Memory told fellow fighters he was not feeling well just moments before he collapsed.

Memory had no history of medical problems, Acree said, and the cause of his death was not immediately known.

Memory, a Newport News native and 2006 graduate of Smithfield High School, was a three -year veteran of the department.

A memorial scholarship fund has been established in his name. Donations may be sent to: The JP Memory Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 77, Carrollton, VA 23314.

[Guest]

RIP JP

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RIP JP... Very sad to hear of such a young upcoming firefighter to pass away like this. My utmost condolences to the family and friends of John Paul Memory III and the Carrolton Volunteer Fire Dept.

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RIP BROTHER

[Guest]

Hampton Roads News Channel 3

Stacy Davis Reporting

Carrollton Remembers Young Firefighter

On Friday, he was a happy, healthy 19-year-old hanging out at his favorite place...the Carrollton fire house.

On Saturday, he would suddenly collapse.

And on Monday, his family and fellow firefighters gathered to say goodbye.

According to 19-year-old John Paul Memory died from Cardiomyopathy, a difficult to detect viral infection.

He was a three year veteran of the Carrollton volunteer fire department and was about to start the fire academy in October with the dream of becoming a career firefighter in Suffolk.

On September 16th, he was at the Patriot's Day celebration in Franklin, in the middle of a demonstration with his fellow firefighters on how they extract people from car wrecks, when he told friends he didn't feel well. He then with no warning and later died at the hospital.

"It's going to be tough," said Scott Brower, Assistant Chief of the Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department. "I thought of him as a son...and ...it's going to be very tough."

Brower had to hold back the tears. And so did his son. He's also a firefighter and was J.P.'s best friend. No one can accept that a seemingly perfectly healthy 19-year-old could be gone, especially Ben Brower

"We went to high school together...we joined the fire department together...and in October we were supposed to go to the fire academy together," said Ben.

J.P. will be remembered for the love of firefighting that burned in his heart. He was at the fire station almost five days a week, while he also worked a landscaping job. He had been a volunteer firefighter for three years in Carrollton. His superiors said he had skill at the job, compassion, caring, and a great sense of humor.

"It all shined, not just his sense of humor, but that's probably what a lot of people will remember, because they were either the butt of it or part of his pranks," said Asst. Chief Brower.

Dozens of people came to the fire house on Monday. They came with candles and poems and played CD's of some of J.P.'s favorite songs. So what would the fire house prankster think of these now somber sights and sounds at his fire house?

"He'd probably be pretty upset that we're doing all this," said Brower. "I won't repeat what he'd say, but it would probably be: you're all wasting your time and you should get busy and don't worry about me."

"He'd probably be wondering why we all came out," said Ben Brower. "And probably he'd think we're a bunch of idiots for singing off key and ruining his favorite song."

But they stayed out for hours sitting in front of the fire house with his picture and candles and his songs playing.

J.P. is only the second firefighter to die will serving in Carrollton. The first was a fire chief who had a heart attack at a fire back in 1969.

J.P. will be buried on Wednesday in Smithfield with full firefighter honors. The funeral starts at 1 p.m. at Colonial Funeral Home at 1515 South Church St. in Smithfield. It is open to the public and all Hampton Roads fire departments are asked to attend with personnel and apparatus.

A memorial has been established by the Carrollton Fire Department in honor of JP for a scholarship fund. Go to http://www.carrolltonfiredept.org for more information.

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RIP BROTHER

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RIP, JP