| Project by Kip | posted 737 days ago | 522 views | 1 time favorited | 13 comments |  |
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On September 24 of this year our fire department family lost one of it’s own. Lt. Bryon Johnson was a good friend and served as a member of my crew for 4 years. Last year he was promoted and moved to another station and another shift. I wanted to do something for the family that would serve as a reminder to them that they would forever be a part of our fire department family as well as to honor Bryon’s service and sacrifice. The department donated the axe for this plaque. The brass maltese cross was cut from a solid sheet and then hammered. The maltese cross harkens back to the days of the Crusades when it was bestowed on a particular group of knights whose job it was to rescue their fellow warriors from the burning oil that was being thrown on them from the fortress walls. I wanted this cross to have the hammered appearance of armour to honor those first “firefighters” as well as symbolize Bryon’s dedication to the job. The helmet shield, again, was cut from a solid sheet and then formed into the shape of a helmet shield. I polished it but did not sand it smooth. One look at Bryon’s helmet would tell you he was no stranger to fighting fire. It was discolored from heat and smoke and most of the reflective tape had long been burned off. I wanted this shield to portray that part of Bryon’s bravery. The bugle was cut from a brass expansion ring that is used to hold fire hose and couplings together. It is a symbol of his rank of lieutenant and a fitting end for that particular piece of brass. This is just my feeble attempt at honoring a fallen brother and great friend.
-- Kip Hiebert
13 comments so far
lazyfiremaninTN
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528 posts in 831 days
posted 737 days ago
An unbelievable tribute to a fallen hero. What a way to say goodbye and I hope that Lt’s family understands the symbolism and love that went into it. Awesome, just Awesome.
-- Adrian ..... The 11th Commandment...."Thou Shalt Not Buy A Wobble Dado"
RAH
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414 posts in 755 days
posted 737 days ago
Wonderful tribute, you put a lot of thought and effort into this project. I make folded flag cases for fallen police officers in California. Working on projects like this gives a good feeling when complete and presented, I sure the family appreciates it very much, don’t stop with this one.
-- Ron Central, CA
MsDebbieP
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14090 posts in 1039 days
posted 737 days ago
what a wonderful tribute … your words, describing the choices you made, brought a huge lump to my heart.
Extraordinary work.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
daltxguy
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541 posts in 792 days
posted 737 days ago
Not feeble at all. A lot of thought and effort went into it. It looks great and I’m sure it will be a cherished tribute and reminder to the family. Nice work and welcome to Lumberjocks.
-- Steve, New Zealand, www.steveracz.com
Todd A. Clippinger
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5590 posts in 978 days
posted 737 days ago
It is always difficult to comment on projects like these. To look at something made as a tribute to the life of another is always deeply moving. It is nicely done. I can tell much thought, care, and consideration went into it and that this individual is held in high esteem.
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com
herbr
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138 posts in 947 days
posted 737 days ago
Great work! I`m sure this will be a cherished tribute
-- Spread love with our work
Thos. Angle
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4015 posts in 840 days
posted 737 days ago
A fine tribute to a fine man. Those who sacrifice are worthy of our utmost respect. Thank you
-- Thos. Angle
CharlieM1958
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7466 posts in 1096 days
posted 737 days ago
Wonderful project!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
mot
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4901 posts in 915 days
posted 737 days ago
Yeah, that’s a wonderful tribute. Thanks for posting!
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
woodchips
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227 posts in 842 days
posted 737 days ago
I understand your use of the word “feeble” but don’t sell yourself too short. Bryon’s family will always treasure this as a reminder of how much he meant to the brotherhood of FF’s as well as to them. My best friend (cousin) is a FireFighter, and I served on a volunteer basis for a few years, so while I can’t begin to understand the feeling of loss, I do know what it meant to belong to the “family”. What you have created to honor Lt. Johnson’s life, death, and commitment to saving lives is a moving tribute. Thank you for posting this, it brought tears to my eyes.
-- "Who but a fool would discard seeminly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent engineering" -- Aldo Leopold
woodchips
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227 posts in 842 days
posted 737 days ago
by the way,
welcome to LumberJocks! I hope you enjoy it here (but i know you will).
-- "Who but a fool would discard seeminly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent engineering" -- Aldo Leopold
Blake
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2715 posts in 752 days
posted 736 days ago
Hits close to home for me. Our dept. just lost one last week as well. Good job and thanks for sharing.
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
cajunpen
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5970 posts in 944 days
posted 736 days ago
Very touching tribute. My prayers are with the family.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/