Fallen PA Firefighter Honored Nearly 40 Years Later
Willie Blakely, Erie's first Black firefighter, died from a cerebral hemorrhage on Oct. 24, 1982. The injury was believed to be the result of an accident suffered while responding to an emergency call.
His fellow firefighters believed his death should have been recognized as a line-of-duty death so that Blakely could be afforded the honors given to those in public safety who sacrificed their lives in the performance of their duties.
Wednesday evening, Blakely was given those honors during a Workers Memorial event at Perry Square. About 150 people attended the event, including Juan "Scooter" Blakely, the son of Wille Blakely.
Juan Blakely, a photographer with the Erie Bureau of Fire, said he was moved by the efforts made by Erie firefighters, past and present, to bring his father the recognition he deserved.
"This feels like closure," said Juan Blakely. "It has been a long journey for my father to be recognized. I owe a lot of thanks to (former Erie Fire Chief) Greg Martin for starting the process and ( Erie Chief Fire Inspector) Darren Hart for following through.
"This is huge for us," said Hart. "It has been 39 years in the making. He did his job well and it is an honor to see him get recognized finally."
The International Association of Firefighters recently granted line-of-duty death status to Blakely and will add his name to the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A ceremony marking Blakely's inclusion will be held in September.
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