In November, Rockin’ 4 Heroes asked LOVE readers to stay tuned for more info on our ‘Hero Tributes’ that occurred on Nov 10th! We’d like to again extend our sincere gratitude to all of you who were able to attend, sponsor, donate or volunteer at our 4th annual concert. We look forward to seeing you at our 5th event next year. We don’t stop because the music is over … Rockin’ 4 Heroes is ramping up for many engagements throughout our community as 2025 begins. Now, on to the tributes...
Community Hero Award – Tom Brandhuber
The Rockin’ 4 Heroes Community Hero Award honored Golder Ranch Fire District’s (GRFD) Fire Chief, Tom Brandhuber, for his 35+ years in the Fire and EMS Services. During his public service career, Chief Brandhuber also served as a member of the United States Air Force and Air Force Reserves. Cris Grissom, Assistant Fire Chief at GRFD, was on hand to accept the award. The actual award was presented to the Chief during a ceremony at GRFD on October 15th (a portion of which can be viewed on the Rockin’ 4 Heroes YouTube channel).
Tom Brandhuber served in the Corona De Tucson Fire District and Rural/Metro Fire Department prior to his service in Oro Valley. These fire districts saw our Chief rise through the ranks as a firefighter paramedic, Captain, Battalion Chief, Fire Chief and Regional Manager. In 2010, as a member of the United States Air Force, he was deployed to serve as the Fire Chief at the Kirkuk Regional Air Base in Iraq.
Fallen Hero Recognition – Officer Adam Buckner
The ‘Honor and Sacrifice’ flag was developed for the 15th anniversary of 9/11 to honor public servants who lost their lives in an effort to save others. During our 4th annual event, it was befitting to present this flag to the family of Officer Adam Buckner of the Tucson Police Department who died on March 31, 2024.
Officer Buckner answered a call to service on this fateful night when his patrol car was hit by another vehicle. Adam began his law enforcement career with the New Orleans Police Department. TPD was fortunate to have his service and dedication for over two years.
Officer Buckner’s wife, Catie, and mother, Joy, were on hand to accept the ‘Honor and Sacrifice’ flag. The Rockin’ 4 Heroes circle of family, friends and supporters will forever remember the ultimate sacrifice of Officer Adam Buckner.
Full Circle - The Rockin’ 4 Heroes Jacob Dindinger Memorial EMT Scholarship
This past year saw Rockin’ 4 Heroes create the first EMT Endowment Scholarship opportunity through the Pima Foundation at Pima Community College. This scholarship is named in honor of Jacob Dindinger who tragically lost his life while on duty serving his community in 2021. This scholarship highlights the shortage of EMS workers nationwide.
Jacob worked for American Medical Response in Southern Arizona. Jacob’s answer to a call for service saw him mortally wounded in July 2021. Jacob’s service shows the dangers under which our heroes serve to protect us all.
Rockin’ 4 Heroes was pleased to introduce the first recipient of this scholarship: Ms. Thea Cromwell. Thea decided to switch careers after witnessing the tragic death of Officer Adam Buckner. She saw this collision from a store where she worked and raced to his side without knowing what to do. As a result, Thea decided to seek a career that would enable her to serve others. Jacob Dindinger’s mother, Corrine, was on hand to pay tribute to her son and celebrate the first recipient of the scholarship created in his name.
It was befitting that Rockin’ 4 Heroes paid tribute to Officer Adam Buckner for his ultimate sacrifice while, moments later, honoring Thea Cromwell as the first recipient of the EMT scholarship, which brought the mission of Rockin’ 4 Heroes full circle. Rockin’ 4 Heroes knows how public servants can inspire others to pursue heroic careers that keep us all safe every day, year after year. For that, Rockin’ 4 Heroes is forever grateful.
Looking to the future
Stay tuned to our social media platforms for all things Rockin’ 4 Heroes related – we hope you join us when we show up near you! Also, please consider donating to our Hero Fund that supports initiatives that align with our mission and allows us to provide assistance to hero groups year-round. Contributions are always accepted on our website’s donation site, which is an easy and secure online platform! Thank you, in advance, for your support and following. We’ll be seeing you soon!
Website: https://rockin4heroes.org/
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