A volunteer firefighter with the Waldo Fire Department died Saturday when he and two other firefighters were heading to a banquet.
According to Waldo Fire Department Chief Jason Parrish, Ryan Moyer was out collecting donations for a department fundraiser when the crash happened.
The accident happened in the Town of Lyndon near Blueberry Lane and Pheasant Valley Road.
Moyer, 31, died at the scene. His two passengers were taken to the hospital, one with serious injuries and one whose injuries were described as non life-threatening.
Flowers and firefighter gear now sit outside the Waldo Fire Department as a memorial to Moyer.
"I have no words to tell them how sorry I feel," said Denise Vanderkin, who says her daughter knew the Moyer family well.
Vanderkin says in a tight-knit community like Waldo, news like this is devastating.
He won the 2014 Firefighter of the Year award at Waldo Fire Department.
Waldo Fire Department Chief Jason Parrish sent the following statement Sunday:
"Ryan’s dedication and spirit will be sorely missed. Ryan was a 5 year member of the Waldo Fire Department. His accomplishments with in those 5 years were nothing short of amazing. Ryan was a State Certified firefighter who attended many training opportunities including National Fire Academy classes. Ryan also dedicated himself to energizing our annual fundraisers, remodeling our fire station and helping the department in any way he could. At the time of Ryan’s death he was out collecting donations for the Waldo Fire Department brat fry coming up in March. Ryan held the spirit of brotherhood within the fire service close to his heart. He had many friends within the fire service and would drop everything to help anyone out. Ryan did all this as a pure volunteer never receiving any compensation for his work. Ryan is survived by a wife, young son, close family and hundreds of good friends."
