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A North Carolina firefighter died over the weekend from COVID-19 complications after being diagnosed months ago.
Alamance County Rescue Unit firefighter Tim Morton and his son Dustin, who also is a firefighter, had tested positive for the virus in September, WXII-TV reports. Initially, father and son only had mild symptoms.
In early December, however, Tim Morton was hospitalized with COVID-related pneumonia, and he also contracted post-COVID lung fibrosis. The complications left so much scarring on his lungs that his family was trying to get him on a transplant list. But Tim Morton eventually died Saturday.
"He touched the lives of so many people," Dustin Morton told WXII.
Tim Morton began his fire service career with the Gibsonville Fire Department before joining the Alamance County Rescue Unit. He also retired as a sergeant with the Alamance County Sheriff's Office, and for the past few years, he was a member of the E.M. Holt Fire Department.
"Tim has loyally served the community for four decades. … Tim and his family have been deeply involved in the department for years and he will be truly missed," a social media post from the E.M. Holt Fire Department stated.
It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing of firefighter Tim Morton. Tim has loyally served the...
Posted by E. M. Holt Fire Department #9 on Sunday, January 3, 2021
According to E.M. Holt Deputy Fire Chief Landon Masse, Morton was probably the most dedicated firefighter the department had. And he passed along that sense of commitment to public service to his son Dustin, who is a lieutenant with the department.
"Me, personally, I think it's absolutely amazing the life that he lived … unselfishly dedicating himself and raising a family at the same time," Massey told WXII. "And then, to turn around and his son followed into his footsteps with community service … to me, I think it's something worth speaking of."
