Funeral Today For Fallen Fire Department Diver Juan Bucio
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Hundreds of firefighters from across the country have gathered in Chicago to say goodbye to a hero.
A funeral service was being held Monday afternoon for 46-year-old Juan Bucio, a Chicago Fire Department diver who died in the line of duty last week, trying to save a boater who fell in the Chicago River.
Bucio left behind two sons, ages 10 and 9, and many friends. He is a former police officer who crossed over to join the Fire Department in 2003.
For other first responders, his untimely death was a stark reminder of the fragility of life.
"We are one big family, and when part of my family dies, I'm here," retired Lemont firefighter Rick Leer said.
Countless police officers and firefighters from around the United States came together Monday morning to honor a father who honorably served his family, and died doing what he loved.
"He's a diver, and in the dive community, it's very special, because it's a specialized skill, and it's only a few select people within the Fire Department, as well as the Police Department, that are asked to be divers," said Chicago Fire Department Deputy Chief Eric Carter.
"These are guys that stand up and do more than most, and they take additional risks because of that," Chicago Fire Department Assistant Commissioner Timothy Sampey said.
A Chicago fire truck will carry Bucio's casket from Blake-Lamb Funeral Home at 103rd and Cicero to St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel at 77th and Western for his funeral at noon.
After the funeral, Bucio will be laid to rest at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Stickney.
He was the 13th Chicago firefighter to die in the line of duty since 2010, and the first since Dec. 15, 2015, when Dan Capuano fell through an unmarked elevator shaft while battling a warehouse blaze in the South Chicago neighborhood.
CBS 2 will stream the funeral service live on our website, at CBSChicago.com and on the CBS Chicago Facebook page.