A solemn tribute is making its way across the nation, honoring the emergency medical services (EMS) professionals who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others. The National EMS Memorial Service’s annual procession begins June 1 in Riverside, Calif. and will culminate in Arlington, Va., on July 19. The procession will make 29 stops in 19 states to remember 29 EMS professionals who died in the line of duty.
On June 3, Guardian Air Transport hosted the Moving Honors procession at its Flagstaff base. The event marks one of the many stops along the 6,500-mile journey to Arlington where fallen EMS providers will be honored as part of the National EMS Memorial Service and Weekend of Honor.
“We are deeply honored to host a stop on the procession,” said Guardian Air Transport Director Dustin Windle. “We will gather with first responders from throughout northern Arizona to mark the lives lost and the sacrifices our peers make every day to serve our communities.”
At the heart of the journey is a specially wrapped ambulance carrying the Tree of Life, this year’s installment of the memorial bearing the names of those lost. Built by EMS volunteers, the tree is transported with reverence and remains sealed until its unveiling at the national service. A replica Tree of Life will be on display at each stop, offering communities a space to pause, reflect, and honor lives of service.
These fallen heroes are not just names, they are fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. They are the ones who leave their homes, families and safety behind to answer the call, never knowing that their work would cost them their lives.
One of the Moving Honors representatives supporting this year’s procession is American Medical Response (AMR) paramedic Megan Haverkamp, now in her fifth year with the crew. What began as a one-time request to drive an ambulance from Texas to Virginia has become a deeply personal tradition. Haverkamp now helps escort the Tree of Life alongside “Chief Ted E Bear,” a comfort companion who helps children of fallen EMS providers cope with loss.
“Each stop is a moment to remember, to honor and to let families and fellow providers know that their loved ones are not forgotten,” Haverkamp said. “What continues to move me is how everyone comes together, whether they knew the honorees personally or not, to show their love and support.”
“This moving tribute is only possible because of the shared commitment from agencies across the country and the generous support of organizations like Global Medical Response,” said Jana Williams, National EMS Memorial Service president. “It is extraordinary witnessing so many who join alongside us to honor our fallen and to support their loved ones in such an impactful way.”
Background
The National EMS Memorial Service, founded in 1991, is a volunteer-driven organization funded solely by donors to honor fallen EMS providers and support their families and colleagues. It is the congressionally sanctioned entity that bestows the highest honor in EMS to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. While a permanent national memorial is still in development, a new panel is constructed each year and added to the Tree of Life, a temporary memorial, which continues to grow and honor those lost in the line of duty.
The Moving Honors procession not only brings awareness and additional homage to the honorees, but also provides a space for the public to pay respect and send messages of hope to families and EMS professionals. The REMEMBERship program is a unique way to sustain the mission of the NEMSMS, offering a simple way to donate and keep the legacy of fallen heroes alive.
List of 2025 National EMS Memorial Services Honorees
Bethany Aicken, 40, Air Evac Life Team, Williamstown, KY, died in the line of duty on 10/7/2024 as the result of an air medical accident.
Gale “Butch” Alleman, 66, Air Evac Life Team, Williamstown, KY, died in the line of duty on 10/7/2024 as the result of an air medical accident.
David Austin, 52, Egg Harbor Township EMS, Egg Harbor, NJ, died in the line of duty on 10/1/2024 as a result of a medical event.
Gregory Bauer, 56, Columbus Division of Fire, Columbus, OH, died in the line of duty on 10/18/2021 as a result of COVID.
Randolph “Randy” Breton, 61, AMR Physician Transport Services, Herndon, VA, died in the line of duty on 9/4/2020 as a result of a medical event.
Michael Clarke, 27, Saint Charles County Ambulance District, Saint Peters, MO, died in the line of duty on 10/14/2024 as a result of a medical event.
Ian Cooperstein, 39, Sullivan Paramedicine, Inc, Hurleyville, NY, died in the line of duty on 9/22/2021 as a result of COVID.
Anthony Cozzino, 51, Fire Department of New York (FDNY), Brooklyn, NY, died in the line of duty on 9/7/2024 as the result of the WTC illness.
Robert “Bobby” DeLeon, 62, Fire Department of New York (FDNY), Brooklyn, NY, died in the line of duty on 4/16/2024 as the result of the WTC illness.
Steven “Fitz” Fitzgerald, 47, Air Evac Life Team, Weatherford, OK, died in the line of duty on 1/20/2024 as the result of an air medical accident.
Mark Gibson, 56 Emerson Ambulance Service Inc., Jonesboro, AK, died in the line of duty on 8/9/2024 as a result a vehicular accident.
Todd Giles, 60, Morristown-Hamblen EMS, Morristown, TN, died in the line of duty on 4/5/2024 as a result of a heart attack.
Russell Haslam, 53, Air Evac Life Team, Weatherford, OK, died in the line of duty on 1/20/2024 as a result of an air medical accident.
Richard Hempel, 53, Groesbeck Volunteer Fire-Rescue, Groesbeck, TX, died in the line of duty on 5/9/2023 as a result of a medical event.
David Jarvis III, 55, Columbus Division of Fire, Columbus, OH, died in the line of duty on 12/9/2021 as a result of COVID.
Jeanne Lackey, 29, Trinity Mother Frances, Flight for Life, Tyler, TX, died in the line of duty on 2/13/1989 as a result of an air medical accident.
Chastian McWhorter, 26, Somerset-Pulaski County EMS, Somerset, KY, died in the line of duty on 4/1/2024 as a result of a vehicular accident.
Gerald Morgan Sr., 46, Trinity Mother Frances, Flight for Life, Tyler, TX, died in the line of duty on 2/13/1989 as a result of an air medical accident.
Kathryn Lea Ohnheiser, 31, Trinity Mother Frances, Flight for Life, Tyler, TX, died in the line of duty on 2/13/1989 as a result of an air medical accident.
Lawrence Rand, 65, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, died in the line of duty on 4/8/2021 as a result of the WTC illness.
Mark Steffens, 62, Fire Department of New York (FDNY), Brooklyn, NY, died in the line of duty on 11/11/2024 as a result of the WTC illness.
Jeremy Sutton, 44, Jefferson County EMS, New Market, TN, died in the line of duty on 8/31/2024 as a result of a vehicular accident.
Christopher Swierkowski, 58, Fire Department of New York (FDNY), Brooklyn, NY, died in the line of duty on 5/11/2024 as a result of the WTC illness.
Adam Tebben, 35, Air Evac Life Team, Weatherford, OK, died in the line of duty on 1/20/2024 as a result of an air medical accident.
James Thomas, 32, Champion EMS, Tyler TX, died in the line of duty on 5/31/1988 as a result of a traumatic injury.
Stephen Walsh, 60, Community Rescue Squad, Copake, NY, died in the line of duty on 11/16/2024 as a result of a medical event.
James Welsh, 29, Air Evac Life Team, Williamstown, KY, died in the line of duty on 10/7/2024 as a result of an air medical accident.
Randy Williams, 46, Leon County EMS, Tallahassee, FL, died in the line of duty on 8/11/2021 as a result of COVID.
Steven “Z-man” Zuckerman, 61, Eagle County Paramedic Services, Edwards, CO, died in the line of duty on 2/23/2024 as a result of a medical event.