A candlelight vigil was held Sunday night to mark one year since 45-year-old Trevor Brown of the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company was killed in a home explosion.
The vigil happened on the same spot where Brown was killed and 13 others were injured.
“I was one of the firefighters that picked up Trevor's body that night and bring him down to the [medical examiner's] office, and it was, it's difficult,” said Jesse Michaud of the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company. “So I come here now, and I see that fence, and I see where he laid to rest, and you know, it was the firefighter that I helped mentor in the fire service to get started, and he was a friend of mine. Our kids played together, and so it's very, very difficult.”
Brown had a wife and three children. He had been affiliated with Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Since 2016.
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A gas leak from a 500 gallon underground propane tank caused the explosion.
It's a moment that has marked not only the residents who live in the neighborhood, but also Brown's fellow firefighters, many of whom are still processing the tragedy.
Support for them is critical, too.
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“Taking care of all the members of our system that were both injured, physically, mentally and quite frankly, are still healing today,” said Loudoun County Fire Chief Keith Johnson.
The community has plans to build a memorial park at the site of the explosion. The land was purchased by a neighbor who wanted to help turn into a spot where the community can come together and heal.
“Me and my wife, we purchased it out of our retirement funds,” said neighbor Steve Honard. “We just, she felt it was so important that we had to take and get this done. I mean literally, she said, ‘somebody has to do something, and we are somebody.’”
The community came together to remember a selfless man who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“He was not a guy that wanted to be in the limelight. He didn't want to be in public. He didn't want to do any of that stuff. He just kind of wanted to do his thing, take care of others, help as many people as he could, and just move on,” Michaud said. “He was the guy that was in the background, the shadows. He didn't want to be seen. He just wanted to do it.”
Firefighter Brown Memorial Park is set to be completed and open to the public on July 26, which was his birthday.
