The Chicago Fire Department on Tuesday remembered one of its own who died of a heart attack after returning from a fire.
Visitation for 61-year-old Walter Patmon Jr. was held at Leak & Sons Funeral Home, at 7838 S. Cottage Grove Ave., in Chicago.
"He was one of those guys that everybody just seemed to love, sort of like a teddy bear or something. You just fell in love with him," said Lt. Arnett Cornell. "For the last 10 years, every morning prior to getting off work, Walter and I, we shared a cup of coffee and a cigarette. We solved all the problems of the fire department, all the problems of the world, and then we went home. Since he passed, I haven't had a cup of coffee or a cigarette."
Patmon died last week after returning from a call to put out a small cooking fire on 99th Street. Chicago Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago said Patmon was cleaning his gear when he started not feeling well.
He was transferred to the hospital and went into cardiac arrest.
"It's kind of hard on the department right now," Lt. Gerald Glover said last week. "You've got three that lost their lives in the last two weeks. We've got a lot of guys who are feeling real bad right now."
Patmon's funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Apostolic Church of God, 6320 S. Dorchester Ave., following a 10 a.m. wake.
Firefighter Michael Boyd of Truck 28 also passed away last Sunday night. He had been on extended medical leave fighting cancer. The previous Thursday, Capt. Herbie Johnson was laid to rest after he died in the line of duty.
