WOOD RIVER, Neb. (AP) -- Kenneth Woitalewicz marked many events, including his youngest son's successful potty training, with flowers, his widow said.
Valentine's Day was a large celebration as well, said Melissa Woitalewicz, whose husband died one year ago this week alongside Robert Heminger as they fought a fire with the Wood River Volunteer Fire Department.
``I miss him more now than I did six months ago,'' Melissa Woitalewicz said.
The two firefighters died from their injuries after part of a burning house collapsed on them. Heminger, 39, with 20 years experience, died one day after the fire. Woitalewicz, 30, died two days after the blaze.
They were trying to save Anna Carrig, 73, who died when the roof collapsed. Her husband of 53 years, 76-year-old Ray Carrig, was not injured in the fire.
Woitalewicz left behind his wife and two boys, Matthew, 10, and Ryan, 5. Heminger left behind his wife, Eva, a son, Jonathan, 13, and a daughter, Lindsay, 12.
The town held a memorial service for the two firefighters on Sunday at Wood River Cemetery. Community members, firefighters, rescue personnel and law enforcement joined the families. The crowd released red and blue balloons with the firefighters' names.
``It's been a year full of firsts, every day, and there have been days when it's been hard,'' Rev. Terry Boshart told the crowd.
Kenneth Woitalewicz missed his son Ryan's first day of kindergarten. Robert Heminger would have seen his son, Jonathan, become a teenager and bag his first pheasant.
The families were friendly before that fire, and in the year since, the widows have become even closer. In October they went on a Disney cruise, even meeting a Pennsylvania firefighter who had heard of their husbands. They watched ``Ladder 49'' _ a movie about firefighting _ left the room together and cried together.
Both families will travel to Maryland to attend the National Firefighters Memorial Service in October, along with some of the men's fellow volunteers.
Both women completed their respective plans to build a new house.
``Kenny always said he wanted to hear the footsteps of the boys running up and down the stairs. I built the house exactly as he wanted it,'' Melissa Woitalewicz said.
When a new fire station is built, a permanent display is planned for the men's uniforms, including a pair of Robert Heminger's old tennis shoes, which Eva Heminger had begged him to discard.
Matthew Woitalewicz, 10, wrote in a school paper this year that his father was his hero. He described his hero's traits as ``caring'' and ``brave.''
``Kenny (my dad) gave his life to save someone else's,'' Matthew wrote.
The women said they were not upset that their husbands risked their lives as volunteers. The men had rushed into dangerous situations numerous times before, they said.
``They'd do it all over again,'' Eva Heminger said.
``They'd be right back there on that truck,'' Melissa Woitalewicz said.
