ARVADA, Colo. — Family, friends and coworkers of a Westminster Fire Department captain said their final goodbyes Friday during a memorial service for the fallen firefighter.
David Sagel, 54, died on Sunday, Jan. 24, after battling work-related cancer for more than a year and a half.
Watch the memorial service in the video below:
Dozens of fire trucks and other vehicles lined a procession Friday morning in honor of Sagel.
The memorial service took place at Grace Church of Arvada near the corner of Sheridan Boulevard and West 69th Avenue. The service was closed to the public.
“The sheer number of people attending is a testament to Dave and represents who he was as a firefighter, a person, a husband, a father, a son and a friend," Deputy Fire Chief Bob Hose said.
During the service, his coworkers highlighted his dedication to his department – and his community – in his nearly 34-year career with Westminster Fire.
"Dave always put himself first, he put his family first, his crew first, his friends first, almost everybody else he put first," firefighter and paramedic Marc Boette said. "The entire Sagel family, we love you and we're here for you. Cancer sucks.”
Sagel was born in Fort Morgan but lived in Westminster when he began his career with the Westminster Fire Department on Feb. 2, 1987. He was well-known for his passion for community service, and he led a foster home renovation program in his off-duty time. He'd work with Adams County and Jefferson County to identify foster homes in need of repairs and recruited help from other fire department personnel and local businesses to help him renovate the homes at no cost to the families.
He also served as organizer of the annual car show “Hot Times KOOL Cars” event with KOOL 105.1 FM, which raised funds for The Children’s Hospital of Colorado.
"[Sagel] wasn't a great man because he was a firefighter. He was a firefighter because he was a great man," Chief Doug Hall said.
Westminster Fire Department said it wants to thank everybody who has reached out in support of Sagel during this time.