Chicago Fire Lieutenant Laid To Rest After Dying In Line Of Duty

CHICAGO — Funeral services for a Chicago firefighter who died in the line of duty last month were held on Wednesday morning, honoring the 59-year-old public servant who was killed while fighting a house fire near O’Hare International Airport in mid-August.

Services were held for Chicago Fire Department Lt. Kevin Ward, who died on Aug. 29 from injuries sustained in a house fire on Aug. 11. Ward’s funeral was held at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood with the funeral procession running along Michigan Avenue.

The procession closed down traffic in both directions along Michigan Avenue and also affected parking in certain parts of downtown Chicago to allow the procession to make its way to the church.

At the service, Chicago Fire officials said that Ward "embodied the very essence" of what the department represents. Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said that Ward's service and "dedication to serving and safeguarding others was unwavering."

Other fire officials agreed.

"Friends of Kevin will often describe him as 'different,' and he was," Captain Anthony Massaro said during Wednesday's service. "He had an adventurous spirit, a thirst for knowledge, and a passion for trying new things. How else would you describe a man with an economics degree who worked at the Board of Trade, worked on a fishing boat in Alaska, worked as a ski instructor in Colorado, worked as a hotel chef, liked SCUBA, was an artist, a welder, a mechanic, fireman and of course, the underwater hockey player."

Ward joined the fire department in 1996 and is survived by his sister and father, the department said.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke at the funeral of Ward, who was trapped in the basement of a home in the 8300 block of West Balmoral Avenue on Aug. 11. Two other Chicago firefighters were injured in the blaze. Johnson said that Ward "put his service above himself" who made the ultimate sacrifice for his city.

Ward, who was born in Oxford, England, "tried his hand at everything", the mayor said – including working at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, as a hotel chef and a commercial fisherman as well as an Alaskan boat deckhand.

"It wasn't enough for him to conquer the world on land," Johnson said. "...He certainly fulfilled his life. ...(but) he lived a life of service."

Ward died on Aug. 29 after being hospitalized at Loyola University Medical Center and Chicago fire officials said he died while surrounded by his family.

Ward is the third Chicago firefighter to die in the line of duty this year, the department said. Firefighters Jermaine Pelt, 49, and Jan Tchoryk, 55, died in April while fighting separate fires.

“He absolutely loved life,” Corrine Walenda, Ward's ex-wife said during Wednesday's service. “He was an exceptionally strong scuba diver and swimmer. We saw a lot of the world that way, like the Galapagos, and Socorro Island. We saw manta rays and whale sharks and humpback whales, all through scuba diving.”