Howard County firefighter who died of cancer to be honored on Fallen Heroes Day

BALTIMORE -- A Howard County firefighter, who died after a battle with cancer, will be honored at the Fallen Heroes Day Ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens on Friday.

This comes as firefighters have been pushing for various cancers to be recognized as line of duty deaths.

When asked to recount memories of Lt. Brad Scott, Lt. Clayton Belle said Scott was the best of the best among firefighters and he was a devoted father and husband.

"It was very much a part of who he was, first and foremost, versus being a firefighter," Lt. Belle said. "This was very important to him, but his family was even more important to him."

While plans are made for the Fallen Heroes Day Ceremony in Timonium on Friday, Keith Boswell said Scott was a fellow firefighter at Station 7 and heavy vehicle operator he trusted.

"He was the one we wanted driving," Boswell said.

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Scott is described as a man who was loved and a loss so great it still impacts the public safety community nearly three years later.

"He gathered all of us around and sat us at a table in there, he couldn't hold it together anymore," Boswell said.

Boswell said he recalls Scott telling them he was diagnosed with cancer.

"When he told us they found a mass and stuff like that, it hit us in the throat, and you could feel it falling into your stomach," Boswell said. "We knew we needed to help him fight because that is what he wanted to do and that's what we did until he couldn't fight anymore"

The 43-year-old father of three's dire diagnosis ended his life soon after in May 2020.

"Some of us went to see him and we knew it wasn't looking good, and on his drive home, Charlene called us and said he is gone," Boswell said.

Meanwhile, firefighters are advocating to have eight type of cancers, including colon cancer, recognized as a line of duty death, qualifying for the surviving family benefits.

"He deserves to be recognized as a line of duty death, because most of the stuff we do is because of risk we take, and stuff we deal with every day," Boswell said.

Lt. Belle said the Fallen Heroes Memorial is a fitting honor for Lt. Scott.

"When a person gives of himself the way Brad did to this career, to the job, that's truly a hero," Lt. Belle said.