The 61-year-old Pelham Batesville Fire Department firefighter had been on light duty since September, though, due to health reasons, according to his boss.
"He'd needed a kidney transplant," said PBFD Chief Phill Jolley. "He beat the odds for a long time. You do that, and a little incident like this takes you out. It's sad."
The incident Jolley is referring to happened a few days before the Fourth of July.
Jolley said Flintom was in the kitchen preparing lunch when he blacked out, fell and hit his head hard on the dishwasher.
"He got back up and had blood on his head," Jolley said Flintom told his co-workers that found him. "He said he was feeling better and wanted to go home and rest, but we called his wife to come and get him."
Flintom later went to the hospital and discovered his fall caused some internal bleeding, according to Jolley.
Jolley and another firefighter went to see him one night. The next day, he suffered a setback and went unconscious. Flintom never woke up.
"It was a shock when we found out," Jolley said. "He was here every day at headquarters. He always kept me up with the news and what was going on in the world and sports. He'd tell you what was going on in politics and also what you should think about," Jolley said with a laugh.
"It's going to be different without him here."
Flintom was an organ donor.
Jolley said because Flintom was on light duty, they are considering his death in the line of duty. He will be given full honors during his funeral.
The funeral will be Sat., July 10, at Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel in Spartanburg at 2 p.m.
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