Memories, unity mark fire’s first anniversary

Video

The memorial service from the Gaillard Auditorium, Wednesday morning Watch »

Mic Smith
The Post and Courier

The Charleston Fire Department honor guard stands at attention by portraits of the nine fallen firefighters at the Gaillard Auditorium during the memorial service for the one year anniversary of the Sofa Super Store fire Wednesday. From left to right, Capt. Mike Benke, Capt. Billy Hutchinson, Capt. Louis Mulkey, Engineer Brad Baity, Engineer Mark Kelsey, Asst. Engineer Michael French, Firefighter Melvin Champaign, FIrefighter Earl Drayton and Firefighter Brandon Thompson.

Major Hollins ran a calloused hand across his face, wiping a stream of tears from his bloodshot eyes as he sat alone in the back of the Gaillard Auditorium, watching the solemn crowd slowly file into the daylight.

Hollins fought fires in Charleston for 28 years before retiring in 2001. On Wednesday, he dusted off his faded blue uniform, wrapped a black band around his silver badge and paid tribute to nine men who died carrying on that tradition.

He was among about 1,500 people who attended an hour-long ceremony to mark the first anniversary of the deadly Sofa Super Store fire. Through words, images and song, the community honored the sacrifice of the firefighters who died that day and celebrated the lives they lived.

Hollins knew most of the nine men. Their pictures hang in his home, where he can see them every day. But sitting through the memorial left him shaken, his grief as fresh as the day they died.

“It’s hard ... just very stressful today,” Hollins said, dabbing his eyes. “They were real heroes.”

The memorial drew mourners from across South Carolina and beyond, though attendance was well short of the overflow crowds city officials had anticipated at the 2,700-seat auditorium.

A brass ensemble played a melancholy prelude as people filed into the dimly lit hall, where oversized portraits of the nine men lined the stage.

The Rev. Jimmy Gallant opened the ceremony with a prayer, saying God has made the fallen firefighters his angels in heaven. “We still cry, we still hurt.”

Mayor Joe Riley said the nine men “rushed into a burning building and entered the pages of history for the city of Charleston.” He said the city will honor their sacrifice by making the Fire Department a national model for the fire service. But he urged the community to also remember and emulate the contributions the men made as fathers, sons, friends and citizens.

“They were good guys, people you would want as your friends,” Riley said. “The rest of us will remember them as we strive to be heroes too.”

The ceremony was short on speeches, with the families preferring to tell the story of the fallen through a video montage of images and music that captured the personality of each man.

Capt. Mike Benke beaming at his wedding.

Capt. Billy Hutchinson cradling his newborn twin daughters.

Capt. Louis Mulkey smiling with friends, hugging his parents.

Engineer Brad Baity looking sharp in his Marines dress uniform.

Engineer Mark Kelsey straddling his motorcycle and hoisting a beer.

Assistant Engineer Michael French playing with a toy fire truck as a boy.

Firefighter Earl Drayton aboard a cruise ship.

Firefighter Brandon Thompson laughing at a party.

Firefighter Melvin Champaign mugging with one of his children and Chuck E. Cheese.

Capping the ceremony was a presentation of medals of honor from the International Association of Fire Fighters. Members of the Charleston Fire Department honor guard held the medals as they stood beside the oversized portraits of the fallen.

Capt. Art Wittner, the lone surviving member of the Engine 16 crew sent to the sofa store fire, choked back tears as he read the “Firefighter Prayer.” After a song entitled “Unsung Hero,” Capt. Lance Williams rang a memorial bell signalling the final call to duty.

Fire Chief Rusty Thomas attended the ceremony but chose not to offer remarks. Thomas, who plans to retire next week, wanted the focus to remain on the nine men who died, said Mark Ruppel, the Fire Department’s public information officer.

Gov. Mark Sanford, who watched the event from the rear of the auditorium, said the ceremony was a fitting tribute to the nine brave men and a reminder to all about the importance of making the most out of life.

Firefighters gathered outside the auditorium after the ceremony to share hugs, backslaps and favorite stories about the men. Many had approached the day with mixed emotions, wanting to celebrate the memory of their fallen brothers but dreading the emotional trip back to that awful night. In the end, most seemed pleased with the tribute.

“They did a good job,” Capt. Jamie Greene said. “It was a good way for us to unite a year later.”

Reggie Barnes, a 27-year veteran of the Charleston Fire Department, found the ceremony respectful and emotional. He said he managed to keep his emotions in check until the medals of honor were presented and the final bell rung.

“Then, I just lost it,” he said. “That’s when things really started to hit home. I was crying like a baby.”

Roger Yow, head of the local firefighters union, said the anniversary marked a turning point. The firefighters will never be forgotten, but it’s now time to focus on moving forward, he said. “We reached an important milestone today. It’s time to turn our attention to the future.”

Wayne Mulkey, Louis Mulkey’s older brother, agreed. He said his family appreciates the day’s events, but he believes the greatest tribute is the continued improvement of the Fire Department. “We need to stop the grieving. We need to focus on fixing the department.”

Below is a timeline of the events at the memorial service.

11 a.m.

The tribute concludes. The families and firefighters will gather again tonight at the site of the Sofa Super Store for a private memorial service.

10:58 a.m.

A baby cries. A bell. The final bell. One year later, Charleston remembers. Gov. Mark Sanford pays tribute from a back row.

The families file out. Firefighters stand tall.

10:50 a.m.

A lone guitarist. A song for the nine: "They never asked for fame or fortune. They only did what was in their hearts."

"They faced the fire like so many times before, not a second thought before they busted through that door."

"Unsung heroes."

10:46 a.m.

A final prayer. A firefighter's prayer. Silence. Tears.

10:43 a.m.

The local and national firefighters unions present the International Association of Firefighters' Medal of Valor to each of the nine. A uniformed firefighters takes position next to each of the portraits as the names are read. Each holds a medal.

10:41 a.m.

All nine reunited in heaven. A song about angels."To show us how to live, to show us how to give."

The thundering drum from the orchestra. The horns of tribute.

10:34 a.m.

Brandon Thompson. Born in 1980. Geared up for a fire. A Lynyrd Skynyrd song. Laughing at a party. On the seas. His brother still fights fires in the Lowcountry.

10:31 a.m.

Earl Drayton. They called him "old school."

On a motorcycle, a jet ski. Loading up the car for a trip. A Janet Jackson song. He loved to dance. With his wife at a party. Dapper in a floral shirt.

10:28 a.m.

Melvin Champaign. Cool R & B music, like Melvin. Posing with Engine 16. With the guys in training. In a football jersey with his boy.

10:25 a.m.

Mike French. Hamming it up as a kid in a tux. A happy wedding. Proud parents. His hair always shaved close on the sides.

10:22 a.m.

Rough and tumble Mark Kelsey. Always on a motorcycle in leather.

10:21 a.m.

Brad Baity. Smiling for prom pictures. Holding a baby girl. A baby boy. They grow up at the fire station. A storybook family before a field of flowers.

10:18 a.m.

Now Capt. Louis Mulkey. Pictures of him with the students he coached in Summerville. Sports defined his life as much as firefighting. He was a mentor. Posing at Station 6, one of the station where he worked.

10: 15 a.m.

Images of Capt. Billy Hutchinson holding a new born baby. Always smiling. A country song plays.

10:11 a.m.

Riley says the city will honor the nine men by making the Fire Department and a national model for the fire service.

His remarks are followed by a video montage of the fallen nine. Photographs from each of their lives flash on the screen. Capt. Mike Benke with his children, the little ones posing with fire trucks and in daddy's fire helmet.

10:04 a.m.

The lights dimmed. The Rev. Jimmy Gallant opens the ceremony with a prayer. He said God has made the fallen firefighters his angels in heaven.

"We still cry, we still hurt."

Gallant, also a city council member, has been one of the most vocal advocates for firefighters.

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley takes the podium. He reads the names of the fallen and says "We will never forget."

"One year ago tonight, they heard the bell. They responded. These brave men rushed into a burning building and entered the pages of history."

9:30 a.m.

The stage in the Gaillard Auditorium is lined with nine portraits of the nine Charleston firefighters killed one year ago today. An orchestra plays somber music in the background. Above, a video screen shows an image of a waving American flag emblazoned with a seal for the fallen firefighters. It reads "All Gave Some. Some Gave All."

The families who lost loved ones in the blaze have begun to file to their seats at the front of the auditorium.

Read more in Thursday’s Post and Courier.