Our first Mystery Minute story wrapped up yesterday and from all indications it was quite popular among many of our readers. It was an experiment of sorts to see how well it was accepted, and I’m glad that so many of you enjoyed it. We’ll be starting a new Mystery Minute tomorrow (Monday), so I hope you’ll follow along with it, too.
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It was a year ago that a good friend, colleague and co-worker of both mine and FossilMedic’s passed away after a courageous battle against Demon Cancer. Clark Martin retired from our FRD after a very successful career and then went on to become the first fire chief of Monroe County, Florida (the Keys). But even after all that, he was still way too young to leave us and his thousands of friends that he had made over the course of his wide-reaching career.
At the time of his passing, FossilMedic posted a tribute on this website and it generated a long collection of Comments from many of his friends who chose this as a forum to express their condolences. It still holds the record as the story with the highest number of Comments on our site. For this reason, we are posting this message to you from his wife Helen:
Dear Fire Friends ,
It is so hard to believe it has been a year, November 1, 2008, since we lost our beloved Chief Clark Martin. In some ways I feel like the year has flown by and in other ways I feel like it has been an eternity. The loss I have in my heart will never go away; it is a very large crack. I do feel so honored to have had such a wonderful man in my life for almost 36 years. I am sure you all have those same feelings.I knew Clark was a special man but I didn’t find out exactly how special until after his death. Reading all their tributes to him on Firegeezer was so touching and informative. My children were able to read those tributes and see another side of their dad. Clark fought his illness with courage and dignity and now he has found peace. The years were too few, but the love we all had and will continue to have is great. Even though Clark is absent from us in body, he will always be present in spirit. I want to thank all of you for all your prayers, encouragement and friendship.
God Bless you all. Helen Martin
Thank you, Helen.
You can read Mike “FossilMedic’s” tribute HERE and my further comments HERE.
Now we have to get back to business and check out the equipment for the day. I’ll get the coffee started and then we’ll get together in the day room in a little while.
This week’s Sunday photo art comes from the Firegeezer archives
