EMMITSBURG, Maryland- The name of a Denver firefighter who died in the line of duty was added to the Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the National Fire Academy on Sunday.
Engineer John P. Whelan III, 46, was on the roof of a building near 38th and Blake streets monitoring a dumpster fire when a skylight gave way.
Whelan fell approximately 20 feet in that incident on June 29, 2015, according to the Denver Fire Department.
He succumbed to his injuries two weeks after the fall.
He is survived by his wife and young son.
Whelan was among the 79 firefighters who died in 2015, according to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
The names of those firefighters and 33 others who died in previous years were added to the National Memorial during a service Sunday morning.
"His friends will forever carry his spirit in their hearts," read a tribute message posted as his wife and son accepted an American flag in his memory.
President Barack Obama ordered flags lowered to half-staff nationwide on all Federal office buildings on Sunday in honor of the service and fallen firefighters.
---------
Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines.