Volunteer Firefighters Honored for Saving Dog of Fallen Soldier

FULTON (Texas) – A life saved by three volunteer firefighters was the only living link for a mother to her fallen soldier son.

The 9-year-old Schnauzer mix named Piper was one of two dogs successfully rescued from a house fire.

“They went beyond their duty,” said Linda Daniel, regarding the rescue from her burning Sandra Drive home this year. “They were volunteers.”

The other dog was a 1-year-old dachshund named Lila. Firefighters found Daniel’s third dog, Phoebe, overcome by smoke and carried it from the home, then buried it on her property.

For their service to the surviving family of a fallen soldier, Fulton Volunteer Fire Department Chief Rickey McLester, Capt. Adam Begley and firefighter Eric Garcia were recognized Wednesday by the Peace Tree Project of South Texas. They were the first recipients of its Basil Loyal Dog Officers Award, named for a black Labrador mascot of the organization, which died in May. Since 2004 the organization has sought to promote healing for families of fallen South Texas service members. The organization plants trees representing peace for survivors.

“There’s not a member in our department who wouldn’t do the same thing for anyone,” said McLester, 31, of his crew. “This day it just happened to be for someone special.”

Daniel’s only child, Army Cpl. Jason Brent Daniel, 21, died after a 2006 roadside explosion during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The combat medic was treating a 6-year-old civilian boy who had been shot, his mother said. Daniel was raised in Crowley, but spent summers and vacations in the Rockport-Fulton area with his mother and grandparents.

It feels good to embrace the families of peacekeepers, said Joe A. Gonzalez, Nueces County commissioner, retired Marine and project committee member.

“Not to assist the family of soldiers with a higher calling is a dishonor to them,” said Norma Jean Sierra, project founder and coordinator.

Begley, 27, understands wartime obligation – he served in the Navy.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to still contribute to helping a soldier’s family,” he said. “It was an unexpected honor.”