A retired Aurora (CO) firefighter/paramedic who volunteered to fight COVID-19 in New York City and lost his life to the virus now has a permanent memorial.
Paul Cary died within a month of arriving to the COVID hotspot. His body was carried back to Colorado in a large procession of ambulances to be laid to rest.
His grave was adorned with a plastic marker.
Cary’s friends and co-workers launched a GoFundMe campaign earlier this year, raising $6,000 for a proper headstone.
“Paul was a great person. He sacrificed his entire life from beginning to end for EMS and fire in this community, so he deserves to be paid tribute appropriately,” said Alexander James, a co-worker with Ambulanz, told The Denver Channel. “He was a front line hero.”