A Cleveland-area community is mourning the loss of a local firefighter after he died in what a Catholic fire chaplain described as the "selfless" and Christ-like act of fighting a fire there.
The North Royalton Fire Department — located several miles outside of Cleveland — announced on Nov. 3 that one of its firefighters, Ryan Milligan, had died after fighting a fire in Broadview Heights the day before.
< async defer crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v18.0">Milligan, 36, had served in the department since 2016. He and his wife, Laura, shared two children; Milligan himself had been pursuing the role of fire lieutenant.
Also injured in the blaze was firefighter Andrew Protsman, who survived and is recovering in the hospital. The two had been present at the fire after responding to a neighboring department's request for mutual aid, where fire departments request assistance from nearby firefighters.
'He was a hero'
Milligan's death and Protsman's hospitalization have resulted in an outpouring of support from the local community, according to Father Doug Brown, who serves as a chaplain for the Cleveland Division of Fire.
Brown, who also serves as pastor at Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Cleveland, told EWTN News that he had worked as a chaplain in the Cleveland Police Department for years before taking up the role in the city's fire department.
He said his ministry includes regular visits to local firehouses, spiritual counseling, and administering the sacraments, including weddings and baptisms for firefighting families.
Brown said the tragedy occurred when both Milligan and Protsman fell through the floor at the house in which they were battling the blaze. He said the community has been gripped by "great sorrow and great sadness" after the incident.
The priest said he has heard one particular Scripture verse repeated in the days after the tragedy: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
"Over and over we are seeing that Scripture verse repeated," he said. "People know that this was a selfless, sacrificial act, done in the service of this community."
Though the firefighters were from the North Royalton department and Brown is a chaplain with the Cleveland Fire Department, the priest said that on the night of the fire he went to the local hospital, located about a mile and a half from his parish, to pray with the families there.
"I kept saying, 'He's a hero,'" Brown said. "Because that's what he is."
Milligan himself was Lutheran, Brown said. The priest said he was as-yet unaware of any funeral arrangements. But he said Milligan exemplified the self-giving spirit of Christ, as do all firefighters.
"I feel like these are men and women who are willing to sacrifice their lives in the same way that Christ gave his life for us," he said.
Brown told local news that he has urged the community to both give the grieving families the space they need while continuing to offer consolation past the point when community support often fades away.
"[D]on't disappear on them," he urged. "Keep reaching out to them."
The priest told EWTN News, meanwhile, that as a chaplain he feels called to minister to people doing some of the most difficult work in civil society.
"The demands of their jobs can be intense and demanding," he said. "Finding time for spiritual consolation is difficult for many of them. I like to be able to provide that in any way possible. That's what drives me."
