CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Another name was added Sunday to the West Virginia Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Charleston.
During an emotional memorial service outside the Culture Center, the name of John Thomas Appleton Jr. was added to the plaque that already bears the names of over a hundred other firefighters who lost their lives serving their communities.
“They are truly today’s gladiators, they are truly the heroes,” said Chuck Runyon with the West Virginia State Firemen’s Association. “Doesn’t make any difference if it’s a flood, a snow storm, a house fire or a car wreck, the firefighters are the first ones.”
Appleton, a Malden Volunteer Firefighter and chaplain, died after going into cardiac arrest at a fire scene in Sissonville back in June. Malden VFD Captain Bradley Scott said he touched a lot of lives.
“John loved the fire department and he loved the community and he did everything he could to make us better and better people,” he said. “He taught me a lot of personal lessons.”
On top of being a firefighter, Appleton was an ordained minister and served as pastor of Kanawha Salines Presbyterian Church in Malden. Runyon said Appleton was a great guy.
“He was always a very friendly guy and he was always at the fire station to help out in whatever they needed done,” said Runyon.
Even though it was a chilly day, a large crowd consisting of family members, fellow firefighters and state and local officials still came out to honor Appleton and the many other names that were on the memorial.
“I hoped that we would never have a name on that plaque from our fire department and unfortunately we do, but John is looking over us every day watching us as we go out on the next alarm,” said Scott.
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin declared November 3 to be West Virginia Fallen Firefighters Memorial Day and ordered all state flags to be lowered to half staff for the remainder of the day.