For the last year, we have been actively promoting our “h4 : hunger” symbol to fight Human Trafficking. Our latest image “Patrick’s Heart” was created in honor of Mr. Patrick (Pat) Williams. For over 38 years, Pat blessed countless families as a KCMO firefighter.
He fought the biggest fight of his life when diagnosed with not one but *two* types of Cancer. Both are very common in firefighters. I learned in talking with his sweet wife of 17 years, Jenny, Cancer is the number one cause of firefighter deaths. Closely behind at number two is Suicide. All too often, Suicide comes on the heels of a grim Cancer diagnosis.
Discussing the statistics and symbol with Jenny, she observed: the flame is upside down. When a devoted firefighter loses his or her life, the entire family’s world is rocked upside down.
