Terre Haute firefighters lost a beloved colleague Sunay morning to COVID-19.
John Schoffstall, 41, joined the fire department 12 years ago and was assigned to Station 5.
He passed away at Union Hospital around 3 a.m., fire officials told the Tribune-Star.
"I'm kind of at a loss for words because I was not prepared for this," Terre Haute Fire Chief Jeff Fisher said. "John's condition had been improving and we were hoping for a different kind of parade."
"He will be sadly missed, but his memory will live with the department for a long time," said Fisher.
Members of the community and firefighter gathered outside the hospital each night for a prayer service after Schoffstall was hospitalized. Cars and fire apparatus joined the nightly prayer sessions.
The chief added that the department will do "the best, most proper send off as we can," because of current limitations set by the virus.
A GoFundMe account was set up in Schoffstall's name last week to provide assistnce to his family.
He leaves behind a wife and two children, according to the GoFundMe page.
