It was a somber and emotional memorial service for the man who was a battalion chief at the Pittsburgh Fire Bureau in East Liberty.
Friends and fellow firefighters gathered at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland to remember and honor John Walsh’s dedication to his profession. The battalion chief who died in the line of duty left an indelible mark on the fire department.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Pittsburgh Fire Battalion Chief John Walsh Dies While Commanding the East Hills Fire
The hearse carrying Walsh’s body left the funeral home in Scott Township and drove between two fire trucks under a huge American flag.
The procession arrived at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland just before 10 a.m., where firefighters lined the steps to the cathedral to pay their last respects as bagpipes played in the background.
During the service, Walsh was remembered for his calm and commanding presence.
He was described as a “true fire chief” who made a difference within the agency.
“His attitude, his command presence, his manner of being a tactician and technician on the fireground. That’s something we can all learn from,” said Pittsburgh Fire Chief Darryl Jones.
A friend recalled that Walsh was committed to getting the job done and would do anything to help anyone.
“This was very sad, an unexpected death, a death of duty, very, very sad. His character was the best ever, a no-nonsense chef, but loved by everyone. His personality would light up a room,” said John Albenese, a volunteer firefighter who knew Walsh for years and said Walsh was his mentor.
The International Association of Firefighters honored Walsh by presenting his wife with the Medal of Honor.
At the end of the funeral mass, his final end of watch call sounded over the radio.
Walsh often attended funeral services for other fallen firefighters across the country. Today the firefighters returned the favor.
They came from as far away as New York, Cleveland and Philadelphia.
“To support my brothers in the Pittsburgh Fire Department. I never met the chief, but he would do it for me,” said Mark Erlacher, a retired firefighter who drove from Philadelphia today to attend the funeral.
Walsh worked in the fire service for 37 years.
In 1994, he suffered severe burns after coming into contact with live electrical wires while fighting a fire on the South Side. He fought his way back to work.
It is a lesson in perseverance that the Bureau will not soon forget.
“We are charged with continuing to honor him, growing on what he left us, the resilience he showed in returning to work after being so seriously injured,” Chief Jones said.
Walsh is survived by his wife of 36 years, his parents and siblings.
His father is a retired firefighter from Pittsburgh.
Walsh was buried in a private ceremony at a cemetery near Gibsonia.
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