Twenty-one years after Anthony “Sauce” Phillips, Sr. died in townhome fire in Washington, D.C., his son joined the fire service.
Anthony Phillips Jr. graduated from the Arlington County, VA, fire academy this week and works just across the Potomac River from where his father lost his life.
“Since he passed, I was against it and never really wanted to do it because of that," Phillips told WJLA following his graduation with Arlington Recruit Class 78.
"We’re proud to have Probationary Firefighter Phillips with us and are honored to be a part of his family’s legacy of serving others," the fire department shared in a release.
He said the D.C. firefighters who remained close to him and his family had been encouraging him to become a firefighter, despite not being interested.
Anthony Phillips Sr. was killed during a basement fire at 3146 Cherry Road NE on May 30, 1999. Firefighter Louis Matthews was also killed in the fire, which led the fire service to reasses basement fire tactics.
"I can just remember something was off and a lot of people were in my home," Phillips recalls from the day his father died.
“It’s all come full circle, they have always been in my life and have always tried to recruit me and I would say no I don’t want do it,” Phillips said.
