A massive wildfire tragically took the lives of 19 firefighters in the Yarnell Hill area of Arizona on Sunday. Anthony Rose was one among them. Here’s what you need to know about the fallen hero.
1. Anthony Rose was One of the Youngest of the Hotshots
The Granite Mountain Hotshots
Anthony Rose, one of the youngest of the fallen firefighters, was just 23 years old when the wildfire took his life on Sunday, reports The Journal Times. He belonged to a group of elite firefighters called the Granite Mountain Hotshots.
2. Rose Had Been a Firefighter Since 18
Fellow Granite Mountain Hotshots (Facebook)
He began working for the Crown King Fire Department when he was 18. Retired Crown King firefighter Greg Flores said Rose “just blossomed in the fire department. He did so well and helped so much in Crown King. We were all so very proud of him.”
“He was the kind of guy that his smile lit up the whole room and everyone would just rally around him,” Flores said. “He loved what he was doing, and that brings me some peace of heart.”
3. He Grew Up in Wisconsin
Rose grew up in Wisconsin before moving to Arizona to become a Hotshot.
4. He’s Remembered as a “Jokester”
Rose is remembered as a jokester, but most importantly as a kind and caring person. He was a “fantastic person, and a great worker,” fire chief Steve Lombardo said.
“It’s tragic, absolutely tragic,” he said.
5. He Was Expecting a Child
Theresa Mooney, Rose’s would-be mother-in-law, says she prays for the families of the fallen firefighters.
According to NBC Chicago, the young firefighter’s fiancée, Tiffany Hettrick, was due in October. The couple lived together in Arizona. Hettrick grew accustomed to Rose often being away fighting fires.
“He always wanted to be a firefighter, and he was living what he wanted to do,” Hettrick’s stepfather said. “He’s with God now, so he’s OK. I don’t warm up to too many people too much, but he was a very good guy, and I knew that right away.”
