Connecticut firefighter killed in accident at brush fire remembered as friend, family man

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A Connecticut firefighter killed in a vehicle accident while battling a brush fire was remembered Monday as a beloved family man and friend who made other's lives better.

The funeral for Robert Sharkevich Sr., 66, was held at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford on what happened to be National First Responders Day. Hundreds of firefighters from around the region gathered to pay their respects to the man known as “Sharky,” a longtime member of the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department and former 25-year veteran of the Hartford Fire Department.

Sharkevich's casket was placed on the back of a fire engine and escorted from Wethersfield to Hartford by a few dozen police motorcycles and other first responders. A group of bagpipers and drummers joined the procession on the streets of Hartford.

On Oct. 22, Sharkevich was helping to battle the large brush fire that is still burning on Lamentation Mountain along the Berlin-Meriden line, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) south of Hartford, when a utility vehicle operating on steep terrain rolled over onto him, officials said.

Speaking at the funeral, his nephew, Gary Sharkevich Jr., said he and Robert Sharkevich's son, Robert Sharkevich Jr., who are also firefighters, rushed to the scene when they heard about the accident over the radio.

“When we finally arrived, we ran up to uncle Rob, to only find him laying there so peacefully and comfortable,” he said. “As the daylight faded and the mountain glowed in fire, we carried him home.”

He later added, “Uncle Rob, you meant the world to us. We will carry on your legacy, your laughter and your spirit with us forever. You touched so many lives.”

Karen Letizio, Robert Sharkevich Sr.'s sister, said he was the embodiment of “strength in selflessness.”

“His legacy is one of courage, having sacrificed his own life in the line of duty, embodying the noblest attributes a person can possess,” she said. “It was this immense bravery that led him to be our family’s hero, a symbolic heart of gold who deeply cared for our Wethersfield community.”

The fire on Lamentation Mountain is one of several dozen burning around the Northeast in what meteorologists call dangerously dry conditions due to a lack of rain. Fire officials said a campfire that wasn't extinguished properly apparently sparked the Connecticut fire, which has burned about 120 acres.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on Monday urged residents to not set campfires or bonfires, refrain from disposing of barbecue embers and fully extinguish cigarettes when discarding until the fire danger subsides.