Wanjiru Waweru, Jadetimes Staff
W. Waweru is a Jadetimes news reporter covering American News
Worcester, Massachusetts – Worcester Fire Assistant Chief Adam Roche explained that November 13, was a hard day for the Fire Department in the Worcester Community. Adam Roche paid a tribute on the honor of Jason Menard to represent his legacy.
“On a day like today, we wake up, we remember Jay, we remember and think about his family, we keep them in our thoughts and prayers, and we honor Jay by coming to work and responding to call like we have been all morning,” Roche stated.
Five Years later, the legacy of Lieutenant Jason Menard is a great distance from the disappearance of Worcester firefighters. He reflects on his personality and describes him as an outgoing person, and his dedication to his hard work in the Fire Department as well.
A 9-year veteran with the department, Menard deceased while batting a four-alarm fire on Stockholm Street on November 13, 2019. On the following of the 39-year-old continued his fellow firefighters to safety, flames submerged the third floor of the three-decker, and eventually took his life. His peers did not remember him for how he passed away, they recognized who he was.
“Jay’s superpower was he was just a really good person,” President of Worcester Fire Local 1009 Will Mosley stated. “That kind of amplified everything he did. It showed up in his decisions.”
Menard’s tragic death was not a new scene and became an emotional reaction for Worcester Fire Department. The Fire Department lost firefighter Christopher Roy in the head of duty in December 2018, firefighter Jon Davies in December 2011, and the Worcester Six on December 3, 1999.
While many rotated to the holiday season with joy and excitement, it could be difficult for firefighters to protect the Worcester community. Mosley reported the important role of supporting people in finding a way to communicate, especially when going through hard times, to remain in touch.
“The general theme is to look out for each other, check in on one another,” Mosley stated. “Send a text, make a phone call, grab a lunch or a beer. Something to stay connected, and for us to realize that we’re not alone. We always say we never forget. And we don’t ever forget.”
