Somber salute at visitation for fallen Chicago Fire Lt. Jan Tchoryk
NORRIDGE, Ill. (CBS) – The city is in a state of mourning, as services for two Chicago firefighters got under way on Wednesday afternoon.
At the Cumberland Chapels funeral home, at 8300 W. Lawrence Ave. in Norridge, there was a somber salute and as sea of support as hundreds of Chicago firefighters came out to remember their brother, fire Lt. Jan Tchoryk.
Old Glory bowed high in the wind above them.
Tchoryk, 55, had been with the Chicago Fire Department for 26 years running towards danger. He died last week after collapsing in a stairwell while responding to a fire at the high rise at 1212 N. Lake Shore Dr. in the Gold Coast.
An autopsy from the medical examiner's office determined he died of natural causes.
Tchoryk's fellow firefighters tried to save him, but on Wednesday, those same men and women were there to say thank you and job well done. At the funeral home, even strangers came out to simply say thank you.
"We live in the neighborhood," said Julie Santucci, who wanted to pay her respects to Tchoryk. "So we walked down to see the flag and all the support. That's terrible for the fire family, everybody fighting, the families of the fallen firefighters."
Santucci brought her 6-year-old son, Nico, because his uncle and grandpa are firefighters.
"They save some people's lives," Nico said.
They were not the only ones showing support. Judy Knudsen lined the sidewalk too.
"That's the biggest thing, that other people care - and the firefighters are family," Knudsen said. "It's an extended family, and I'm part of it."
There was a stream of mourners going into the funeral home on Wednesday. There were firefighters from across the state paying respect to their fallen brother.
Just a week ago, Tchoryk collapsed while responding to a high-rise fire in the Gold Coast. His fellow firefighters tried to save him, but on Wednesday, those same men and women were there to say thank you and job well done. Even strangers came out to simply say thank you.
"We live in the neighborhood," said Julie Santucci who wanted to pay her respects to Tchoryk. "So we walked down to see the flag and all the support. That's terrible for the fire family, everybody fighting, the families of the fallen firefighters."
Also on Wednesday, visitation was held for a second Chicago firefighter, Jermaine Pelt, who died last week.
So as Old Glory kept blowing Wednesday evening, the members of the Fire Department marched on and will continue to do so – minus one hero whose watch ended on April 5.
Tchoryk's funeral will be held Thursday morning, which CBS 2 will carry live on our digital streaming network beginning at 9:30 a.m.
