A country music star
took a moment out of his busy schedule to honor fallen volunteer firefighter
Jared Lloyd.
Audacy Country host
Kelly Ford paid a visit to Columbian Fire Company #1 in Rockland County on Tuesday.
Lloyd died in the line
of duty last month in a fire at an assisted living facility in Spring Valley.
During the visit, Ford
arranged a virtual call with one of Jared's favorite artists, country singer
Darius Rucker.
A video shows Lloyd’s
fellow volunteer firefighters and kids singing ‘Wagon Wheel’ along with Rucker.
Rucker spent half an
hour talking to the fire company and listening to stories about Jared, as well
as connecting with Jared's two young sons - one of whom is named Darius, after
Rucker
Lloyd’s colleague Joe
Clifford tells News 12 they met while working at Optimum.
"He
was always smiling, always happy, always had a smile on his face and I think
that's what I'm going to miss
the most,” says Clifford.
Although Lloyd may be
gone physically, his spirit lives on at Optimum. The
company planted a tree in his memory along with a plaque that was unveiled
Wednesday evening.
"Long after I'm gone from here hopefully this tree will
still be here,” says Clifford. “It means a lot to me and the rest of the guys
here.”
The company also retired Lloyd’s employee
number and created a second memorial that’s located inside the office.