The family of a Lake Mills firefighter, who was killed by a suspected drunk driver on New Year's Eve, spoke to media for the first time Wednesday morning before Captain Chris Truman's body was moved from the Dane County Medical Examiner's office to a Lake Mills funeral home. Truman's loved ones say he died a hero.
A long line of fire trucks slowly made their way through a snowy Lake Mills Wednesday afternoon where one of their own will be laid to rest. Truman's family fought back tears as firefighters saluted his service and hailed him a hero.
"He was an amazing man, he would go out of his way for anyone," said Truman's fiancé Amber Turfle. "He loved what he did and he would never regret getting out of that car."
Turfle said the hardest part of losing her soul mate is knew this day would come.
"I always knew there would be a knock at the door and I'd find an officer with tears in his eyes because this was just who he was," Turfle said. "He lived for the fire department."
Turfle got that heartbreaking news on New Year's Eve as she was preparing for a night in with family and friends. Truman was on his was back from a job in Madison Monday night when he pulled over on the Beltline to help a crash victim. He was struck by a suspected drunk driver and died from his injuries. The volunteer fire captain was 46 years old.
"He's been a big part of our life for the last 10 and a half years and to think he'd be gone in two days is really hard," said Taylor Turfle.
Truman's sudden absence leaves a void that can never be filled for his family and the fire department. Turfle wants their pain to resonate with those who get behind the wheel under the influence.
"There's so many other things you can do to prevent this and although he died for great reason, I just want him back and this pain is going to last forever," Turfle said.
Anyone who would like to help Truman's family with food or whatever it may be, can bring those items to the Lake Mills Fire Department.
