NEW ORLEANS — Firefighters run toward danger and always answer the call in time of an emergency. So, when one of these courageous men or women is snatched away, firefighters grieve together.
A very special New Orleans Firefighter lost his fight after he spent a lifetime fighting for others.
For 27 years, New Orleans Fire Captain John Blackwell ran towards the unknown without hesitation, fueled only by courage and an unshakable sense of duty.
District Chief Alan Favalora said, “He always looked out for us, took care of us, showed us not to be scared… He showed us how to be real firemen.” He went on to say, “It’s hard to tell what John would do. You would look at some of these buildings and say,” Are you serious? “And John was going in. We always came back out together.”
However, Captain Blackwell won’t be coming back from a fire this time. “It’s going to be different. He just meant so much to so many people,” says District Chief Favalora. The veteran firefighter died Monday.
Aaron Mischler, President of the New Orleans Fire Fighters Association, says doctors gave Captain Blackwell 14 days to live; he could only fight for a week.
He said, “John pulled up sick one day with a pain in his stomach and side area, so he went to the doctor, and they ran some tests and found he had colon cancer, and it had moved throughout the body.”
Mischler said, “He’s a family member to us. It’s just like losing a brother or a sister. We live together for a third of our lives, and we spend this time in the house together.”
District Chief Favalora said, “Me and John met when I was brand new on the job… We basically did everything.” He said the pair weren’t just friends but brothers, a relationship forged in the fire.
“Me and him were on the Hard Rock together… Just to know John Blackwell isn’t there anymore is a huge hit to this department.”
Mischler says firefighters battle more than just flames. They face unseen battles that could last long after the fire is out, and he said, “It takes a tragedy like this to open your eyes. We should be screening a lot, more testing for our guys, a second set of bunker gear so we can wash our gear so we can cut down on the toxins.”
Captain Blackwell’s fire uniform hangs in his locker, and while he’ll never wear it again, his heart, courage, and laughter will echo through the walls at Firehouse District 7.
Captain Blackwell was 53 years old.
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