Fremont firefighters mourn after colleague dies in cardiac event while off-duty
This past week has been a difficult one for Battalion Chief Greg Biddle and the entire Fremont Fire Department, following the off-duty death of one of their own.
"This has hurt the members of this department. It's been a shock to us that him at his age had this happen to him," said Biddle.
On Monday March 17, beloved Fremont firefighter Anthony Ganzler died from a job-related medical emergency while at home in Elk Grove in Sacramento County. Reports at the time said Ganzler died from a cardiac event.
"The first thing I thought about was his family and wanting to honor his family and wanting to honor him," said Acting Battalion Chief Dan Brunicardi, who worked with Ganzler over the past year.
Brunicardi told CBS News Bay Area that the loss has been tremendous because Ganzler was such a light within the department.
"For me, it was always interesting coming back to the firehouse and walking into the kitchen and that's the first thing you hear is him laughing or telling a story or just interacting like I said with our members. He really was a big life, a big personality," Brunicardi said.
Before joining the Fremont Fire Department, Ganzler worked as a firefighter in El Dorado County, east of Sacramento. He was also a veteran, serving in the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Division.
"He was very patriotic, humble, you know he just had a spirit of serving," said Biddle.
Brunicardi said one memory he will always cherish of Ganzler is when they worked together this past Christmas.
"Everybody's families including our kids and everybody showed up. So I think we had a total of 30 or 35 of us in the fire station for Christmas, and he was an incredible man, an incredible firefighter, an incredible hardworking guy but I think most of all he was an incredible father and he cared deeply about his family," Brunicardi.
Ganzler is survived by his wife and two daughters. Biddle said that is where their department's focus is now.
"Our goal right now as a department and as an agency and as a local is to just be there for them. Be there for his family and offer them whatever support we can," he said.
A memorial honoring Ganzler's life will be held Thursday in El Dorado Hills.