It may have been the last fire Gregory Simmons helped battle, but its not the last time he'll help serve his community.
"He lived, breathed the fire department and to read about his legacy and what he stood for it'll be forever," said Carrie Simmons, Simmons wife.
It's been a year since the Eastland volunteer firefighter died on duty during a wild brush fire in southern Eastland- a day his family remembers as though it were just yesterday.
"For him not to come home was a true shock because hes always come home, that's what he always says anytime he leaves, he says, "I'll be back in a little bit love ya'll'", said Simmons.
The loss was felt by the entire community- the 50 year-old business owner was known by all for his unconditional service.
He would do anything at any time for the fire department and to help people
"His memory is engraved in many hearts, and now it will be a permanent fixture," said his daughter Karley Simmons.
A local family have plans to build the Gregory Simmons Memorial Airfield in Cisco to honor his 11 year service.
But it wont just be an airport.
It will also serve as a fire and emergency response center.
"We'll have a helipad out there for care flight. You know we welcome the planes that are needed to fight the wildfires, we'll also have a refueling station," said Holley Carless, director of public affiars for Wilkes Bros.LLC., the family funding construction of the airport.
The aiport will be located right off of I-20, giving easy access to firefighters and other emergency response teams which many say is yet another way to pay tribute to Simmons.
"We'd like for Greg to continue to watch over Eastland county and this area and we thought that that would be a great way for him to do that," said Carless.
And for Simmons it wont just be to honor her husbands legacy, it will also be a reminder to families of firefighters of just how important it is to show support.
"Because when they go out on those calls they need to know that they're family's there to stand behind them," she said.
"He lived, breathed the fire department and to read about his legacy and what he stood for it'll be forever," said Carrie Simmons, Simmons wife.
It's been a year since the Eastland volunteer firefighter died on duty during a wild brush fire in southern Eastland- a day his family remembers as though it were just yesterday.
"For him not to come home was a true shock because hes always come home, that's what he always says anytime he leaves, he says, "I'll be back in a little bit love ya'll'", said Simmons.
The loss was felt by the entire community- the 50 year-old business owner was known by all for his unconditional service.
He would do anything at any time for the fire department and to help people
"His memory is engraved in many hearts, and now it will be a permanent fixture," said his daughter Karley Simmons.
A local family have plans to build the Gregory Simmons Memorial Airfield in Cisco to honor his 11 year service.
But it wont just be an airport.
It will also serve as a fire and emergency response center.
"We'll have a helipad out there for care flight. You know we welcome the planes that are needed to fight the wildfires, we'll also have a refueling station," said Holley Carless, director of public affiars for Wilkes Bros.LLC., the family funding construction of the airport.
The aiport will be located right off of I-20, giving easy access to firefighters and other emergency response teams which many say is yet another way to pay tribute to Simmons.
"We'd like for Greg to continue to watch over Eastland county and this area and we thought that that would be a great way for him to do that," said Carless.
And for Simmons it wont just be to honor her husbands legacy, it will also be a reminder to families of firefighters of just how important it is to show support.
"Because when they go out on those calls they need to know that they're family's there to stand behind them," she said.
