Firefighters remember John Schoffstall after he loses battle to COVID-19

Firefighters remember John Schoffstall after he loses battle to COVID-19

A great guy and he's going to be missed by a lot of people.

So...we love him a lot.

" the terre haute community is sharing its memories of a beloved firefighter.

Good evening and thanks for joining us.

The covid-19 pandemic continues to take lives around the country.

Including right here in the wabash valley.

Firefighter john schoffstall lost his battle to covid-19 yesterday morning.

Tonight... the community is remembering his life and legacy.

At 5 o'clock you heard from the captain of fire station 5.

That's where schoffstall worked.

In our top story tonight... news 10's richard solomon has more from one of his brother's in the department.

Pk} this sign you're reading says pray for the terre haute fire department family.

That's after john schoffstall died in the line of duty of sunday.

This is where he spent majority of his time with some of the people he loved.

People i spoke with say they're going to remember all the good times they shared with their brother.

The sun is shining in terre haute.

But a gloomy cloud hovers over fire station 5.

Firefighter john schoffstall battled fires for nearly 12 years.

But on sunday..he lost his battle to covid-19.

One of john's closets friends and fellow firefighter floyd mason says he's choosing to think about the laughs the two shared.

"aw man he's funny and he laughed all the time, you never caught him in a bad mood.

And everybody loved john and you wouldn't find anyone that could say anything bad about him" mason told me he's known john since he was 16.

The two went to school together...and worked right here at station 5.

Mason says you could always find john in his favortie place.

"he was a good cook.

We were all taking a walk and we said you know bout this time is when john would start heating some oil up cause we'd always have fried chicken on sunday afternoon" but sundays and everyday from now on will be a little dimmer without john's light.

This is video just hours after his death.

The community and first responders watched in silence as john's body was escorted through town.

Others said their goodbyes.... mason says his friend lived an honorable life..

"he worked right up to the last and he went out a true hero doing..doing what he does best" i have been in contact with chief of the fire department jeff fisher.

He says right now they're planning services for john.

Fisher says they plan to send him on the proper way.

Reporting in downtown terre haute richard solomon news 10.

Right now there are 42 confirmed covid-19 cases confirmed there are 42