YARNELL, Ariz. — The past nine years have not been easy for Leo Theokas and his wife Marcie.
Like they do every year, the couple visited Granite Mountain Memorial State Park Thursday to honor their son Garrett, one of 19 hotshots who died nine years ago in the Yarnell Hill Fire.
The fire began on June 28, 2013, sparked by lightning near the town of Yarnell. Two days later, the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a team of 20 firefighters on the frontlines of the flames were cut off from their escape route. Twenty-one-year-old Brendon McDonough was the sole survivor.
“We talk about what could have been and what's not going to be. We lost the future, they all lost," Leo said.
On Thursday, the community of Yarnell came together to remember the fallen firefighters. At the end of the ceremony, Leo and Marcie read the names of the 19 firefighters that were killed, including their son, Garrett.
“People like that leaving impression and then when they're gone, they leave a void. That's, you know, we wish that had been more Garrett in our lives," Leo said.
The 19 men who died were:
- Joe Thurston, 32
- Travis Turbyfill, 27
- William Warneke, 25
- Clayton Whitted, 28
- Kevin Woyjeck, 21
- Garret Zuppiger, 27
- Sean Misner, 26
- Scott Norris, 28
- Wade Parker, 22
- John Percin, 24
- Anthony Rose, 23
- Jesse Steed, 36
- Andrew Ashcraft, 29
- Robert Caldwell, 23
- Travis Carter, 31
- Dustin Deford, 24
- Christopher MacKenzie, 30
- Eric Marsh, 43
- Grant McKee, 21
The Granite Mountain Memorial State Park was built a year ago to honor the fallen firefighters.
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