To remember the men and women who gave up their lives fighting fires in North America, a crowd numbered in the thousands showed for the 23rd annual observance of the Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Colorado Springs, Colorado. OCPFA 3631 directors Kenny Gabrielson and Robert James were in attendance to honor the 122 new names chiseled onto the black granite wall this year. The fallen came from all over the U.S. and Canada. Some were young and some were old and all of their memories were honored by the incredible display, which Gabrielson said was the largest since 2002. It started when a single bagpiper played the first aching chords to “Amazing Grace” as IAFF president Harold Schaitberger set a flower wreath against the stone façade bearing the names. Then the tune swelled as 220 bagpipers and drums from locals all over the country, including local 3631, joined in. Afterward, the IAFF honor guard, which also included local 3631 guardsmen, presented folded flags to the family members of the fallen. This year’s observance also included a cross-town motorcycle procession of some 600 riders, many of them current and former firefighters, assembled to pay tribute as four fighter jets from Buckley Air Force Base screeched over the skyline. As in fire service tradition, two bells were rung as each name was called out, marking the end of a firefighter’s career. The firefighters came from a wide spectrum of places, backgrounds and ages. One Newport Beach firefighter, Kevin P. Pryor, was only 31 years old when he passed after assisting the fight against the raging Northern California fires in spring of 2008. An immortal description about Pryor, “His sense of humor, broad smile and Irish charm will live in our hearts forever”, was written in the memorial pamphlet.  Our brothers and sisters across the IAFF will always be remembered by the membership of the whole organization thanks to the annual observances of the Fallen Firefighter Memorial. The members of OCPFA3631 honor our fallen comrades and keep them in our hearts.