FIREFIGHTERS
REMEMBER FALLEN BROTHER
By Jon Mayhew
Rick
Parker's gear takes a final ride to
Maiden.
Photo by Candy
Walker/The Carolina Scoop
MAIDEN – Members of
emergency services across Lincoln and
Catawba Counties are remembering one of
their comrades Monday morning, who died
Sunday after clinging to life for nearly
a week.
Rick Earnest Park, 59, served as a
volunteer for the Maiden Fire Department
for four decades.
Last Monday, Park was on a wrecker call
with Jim’s Towing Service when he
experienced what doctors later said was a
stroke.
Over the weekend, family members
disconnected the ventilator that was
breathing for the 59-year-old. Park died
around 6pm Sunday.
Maiden Fire chief Danny Hipps said Park
was someone everyone knew, from members
of the North Carolina Patrol to volunteer
firefighters in Lincoln County Fire
Departments.
“All fire departments are a
brotherhood,” said Hipps. “We
all come together at times like
this.”
Sunday night around 9:30pm, an engine
with Maiden – complete with
Park’s gear on the truck –
escorted Park from the Highway 321 bridge
at Highway 321 Business (Maiden Highway)
into Maiden.
While funeral arrangements are incomplete
as of Sunday night, Hipps said
Goodin-Drum Funeral Home is in charge of
arrangements for the Park family.
Hipps said his favorite memory of Park
was his dedication in service no matter
what he was doing.
“You have young volunteers who have
a lot of energy," said Hipps.
“Rick still beat the youngsters out
to the first-out truck almost every time.
It speaks volumes to volunteer
firefighters in general but especially to
Rick.”
The Carolina Scoop Staff Member and
Lincoln Rescue volunteer Candy Walker
remembered her friend Sunday night while
waiting for the processional to come into
Maiden.
“He was a super man who was really
respected in Maiden,” said Walker.
“He was also a super person in
himself.”
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