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Fallen Hero Honored During National Ceremony

By Rose Hooper

A Fallen Hero - Jake Parris, Jr.
August 30, 1931 - February 4, 1994

During a rescue mission, local firefighter Jacob "Jake" Cogdill Parris Jr. gave his life to save a man trapped by a boulder.

The life of this fallen hero from Jackson County was honored Oct. 2 and 3 during the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend in Emmitsburg, Md.

"It was an awesome program for an awesome dad," said daughter Joann P. Nicholson, who attended along with other family members. "The memories from that weekend will last us a lifetime."

The ceremonies were held at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg. This year, 94 men and one woman who died in the line of duty were honored.

Parris was on a first responder call on May 21, 1993, at the scene of a man trapped by a boulder.

"It happened just 200 yards below the cross at Mt. Lynn Lowery - about a 5,500-foot elevation," said Johnny Nicholson, chief of the Balsam-Willets-Ochre Hill Volunteer Fire Department and son-in-law to the late chief.

"As incident commander, Jake had to climb up and down the steep mountainside several times for equipment. He also helped carry the victim up the hill to the Mission Air Medical Ambulance," said Nicholson. "As a result of this strenuous effort, Jake suffered a myocardial infarction. Because of Jake's efforts, the victim survived."

"After his heart attack, Jake was never able to return to work," Jake's widow, Geneva, said. "He was permanently and totally disabled and died nine months later at the age of 62."

The rescue mission was typical of her father's character, said Joann.

"Dad always put everybody else first and himself last. He always made sure everyone else was taken care of," she said. "They'll never be another one like him."

"As far as we know, Jake is the only Jackson County fireman killed in the line of duty," said Geneva, describing her husband as a "man who lived, ate and breathed that fire department."

Fallen Hero continued . . .

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