Calif. Firefighter Runs Marathon to Honor Fallen Chicago Brother

Oct. 11 looked like it was going to be a typical Sunday for Chicago Special Operations Battalion Chief Pat Maloney. As he was loading up his assigned SUV he noticed a firefighter unloading his turnout gear from a car in front of quarters. Hmm! "Looks like I have a rider today," he thought. He walked over to introduce himself to firefighter José Zambrano from El Segundo, Calif. What a surprise Chief Maloney and the members of Engine 5 and Truck 2 were in for on that Sunday.

In 2011 Zambrano changed his fitness regimen after 19 firefighters died in a wildland fire. He was so taken by that loss that he started running marathons in full turnout gear to raise funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's "Everyone Goes Home" program.

On Aug. 9, 2010 Chicago FireFighter/Paramedic Christopher Wheatley was killed when he fell from the top of a fire escape at a working fire in Chicago's West Loop. Chris' mother, Mary Wheatley, heard of Zambrano's memorial runs in 2014 and asked him if he would run the Chicago marathon in memory of her son. Zambrano said that he couldn't last year but he promised Mary that he would be in Chicago in 2015.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a grueling 26.2 mile course through 29 of Chicago's neighborhoods. It attracted over 37,000 runners this year. Running it in full turnout gear is almost unimaginable.

When Zambrano arrived in the Windy City this year he found that Mary Wheatley had passed away since they last talked. He was stunned and determined more than ever to run in the memory of her son, a brother firefighter, who he had never met.

When he heard the story, Chief Maloney stepped in and made sure that José arrived at the marathon starting point and also met him at the end of the race.

Following rehab after the race, the Maloney took Zambrano to Chicago's Quinn Fire Academy and showed him the "Wall of Badges" where a replica of every badge worn by a Chicago member killed in the line-of-duty is displayed and he pointed out Chris Wheatley's badge. Zambrano became emotional when he saw it.

They then went off to visit Engine 2, Chicago's fireboat, the "Christopher Wheatley" to meet the firefighters and also get a tour of the Chicago lakefront.

Maloney is stationed in the West Loop quarters of Engine 5, Truck 2 and Ambulance 28 so that was the next stop for dinner and introduction to the members. Zambrano was shown the memorial built by the firefighters in Wheatley's memory. He turned to them and told them all, "This marathon medal belongs with you in the memorial." He then gave them the medal he earned for completing the marathon.

It was an incredible day. The thought of a brother fire fighter travelling half-way across the country to honor the memory of brother who he never knew should be a lesson to us all of the basic goodness of ordinary people.

JIM REGAN is a firefighter/photographer with the Western Springs, Ill., Fire Department and is the chief underwriting officer with Starr Technical Risks Agency.