The Valley joins to commemorate John Fritz

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Greenbriar Healthcare Center and Commons presented fallen firefighter John Fritz’s family with more than $2,600 in donations at Monday afternoon’s Austintown Township trustees meeting.

“It’s so nice to see such kind people in Mahoning Valley,” said Austintown Fire Chief Andrew R. Frost III. “This is just a sample of what’s been coming in from organizations doing this kind of thing for Fritz.”

Fritz, 48, was found dead at the fire station June 27 after he did not respond to a fire call.

Surrounding communities’ fire crews paid their respects during calling hours or helped fill in for Austintown firefighters who were mourning the loss of their friend.

Austintown did not have to shoulder the loss of Fritz alone.

Greenbriar Healthcare Center and Commons, 8064 South Ave., Boardman, hosted a spaghetti dinner July 30, raising the money presented at the trustees meeting for the family Fritz left behind – a wife and five children.

“For having no tie to Fritz, no tie to Austintown, and them [Greenbriar] just thinking of doing this – it was just an incredible cause and they felt like they wanted to do something,” Frost said.

Trustee Jim Davis said the community could not be more thankful for the outpouring of support from surrounding people joining together in honor of Fritz.

“It means the world to us and we know it means the world to our firefighters,” he said.