RICHMOND, Va. — The 10th annual Commonwealth’s Public Safety Memorial honoring police officers, firefighters and EMS workers who lost their lives in the line of duty was held Saturday in Richmond.
The memorial wall at Capitol Square is engraved with the names of 964 first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice.
This year’s ceremony saw the addition of 27 names, 24 firefighters, 2 police officers and one EMS worker, to the memorial.
Among those remembered were Harvey Hicks, Richmond’s first Black fire captain, and Hanover Fire Lt. Brad Clark, who was killed by a reckless driver while on duty in 2018.
Chesterfield Fire and EMSThis year the wall also included TyVaugh Eldridge’s name. The Chesterfield fire recruit collapsed during a training run on July 1, 2021, and died two days later on his 26th birthday.
Karen Carter, Eldridge’s grandmother, attended with mixed emotions. While proud of the honor, she said she was saddened by the reminder of his loss.
“To hear his name again being called along with the other 900 and some, it’s like he’s passed one more time,” Carter said. “So that part is the hardest part.”