Hundreds of Chicago firefighters paid their respects Monday to Chicago Fire Capt. David Meyer, who died last week after he and a crew responded a garage fire in Chicago's North Austin neighborhood.
Meyer, 54, was part of the crew that responded to a fire early Wednesday morning in the garage behind 5505 W. Crystal St., off Pine Avenue and just north of Division Street. After the fire was struck out, the garage collapsed, and Meyer was struck by a beam.
He was critically injured and rushed to Stroger Hospital of Cook County, where he later died.
Meyers' visitation was Monday at Malec & Sons Funeral home, at 6000 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Gladstone Park neighborhood.
Meyer was with the Chicago Fire Department for 29 years. Not only were hundreds of firemen and women present for his visitation Monday, but so were a line of community members down the block.
While each Chicago firefighter lined up on Milwaukee Avenue Monday may not have known Meyer, they still each took a moment to walk single file into the funeral home to pay respects to the Meyers — and their own Fire Department family.
"Captain Meyer was well respected, and you can tell when you look at the turnout here today," said Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling.
Supt. Snelling said he spoke with the Meyer family inside the funeral home on Monday. He joined the procession along with Chicago Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
"We just talked to them a little bit inside, but it's pretty heavy in there," Snelling said. "The question is, what do you say to a family of the fallen, you know? Those are hard words to find."
Capt. Meyer's family said is survived by his wife of 30 years, three daughters, a son, and parents.
"At the end of the day, they're still without their father, and they're still without their husband," said Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2 President Patrick Cleary.
Meyer was an avid carpenter, fisherman, and motorcyclist who valued his lifelong friends.
"You never know what's going to happen. You never know what day is going to be your last day in this type of work," said Snelling, "and this is the type of thing that needs to be recognized."
Cleary noted that Capt. Meyer was one of many first responders to die in the last few years.
"We need some safety items that I've been pushing, and I'll continue to push them so that things like this don't happen," Cleary said.
Cleary said he would like not to see more wakes and funerals, and not to see more families grieving in the years to come.
"Long after the cameras are gone and the lights are off, you know, the family is still dealing with the loss of a loved one," Snelling said.
A funeral service will be held Tuesday, April 29, at St. John Brebeuf Parish at 8350 N. Harlem Ave. in Niles at 10 a.m.
A man has been charged with murder in Meyer's death and was ordered held in Cook County Jail while he awaits trial.
