Firefighter loses wife and job, community backs him up

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Story Published: Jul 30, 2009 at 4:09 PM MST

Story Updated: Jul 30, 2009 at 5:22 PM MST

By Steven Pope

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A community feels the pain of volunteer firefighter Brett Larsen and his family, who are going through rough times.

"it's a really heart wrenching story. To lose his wife so suddenly, he now has 3 children he has to raise by himself. The community seems to come together when there's such a tragic event like that happens," said Lana Killingsworth, who works side by side with Brett.

Brett's wife died because of a heart defect just 10 days ago.

"The community has been awesome. They've done an excellent job. The support I have received has been great, I don't know how I would ever repay them. The amount of support has been amazing," said Brett Larsen.

Brett has been a volunteer firefighter putting out fires and saving lives for 9 years in Ririe. Recently he lost his job working on furniture.

"When the economy took a nose dive and everything else slowed down. My wife was really the one bringing in the income, she works at a daycare," said Larsen.

It left time for Brett to volunteer. Now those years of service that Brett gave are being returned by the community. A spaghetti dinner will take place tomorrow night in Rigby.

"To me they are always a hero. Brett, anyone who is in a fireman, because when everyone else is running away from it, they're running to it," said Killingsworth.

Brett and his family also donated his wife's organs, adding more saved lives to his volunteerism attitude.

The fundraiser will start at 5pm at the Rigby Fire station.

There will be a silent auction followed by a spaghetti dinner.

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