Villages Public Safety Capt. Kevin Ratzmann met President Obama at a ceremony this past weekend in Maryland.
Ratzmann, who works out of Station 44 in The Villages, was attending the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service in Emmitsburg, Md.
He was serving as an escort for the family of Homer Harrell Jr., an Orange City firefighter who died last year in the line of duty.
“This was a huge honor to escort this family and honor this fallen firefighter hero’s memory,” said Ratzmann, who is well known in the community for providing medical support for Villages Honor Flight.
President Obama spoke at the service, which recognized 84 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2014.
Obama referenced the Bible’s 1 Peter 4:10, saying each person receives a special gift to employ in serving one another as good stewards of the grace of God.
“Every single day across our country, men and women leave their homes and their families so they might save the lives of people they’ve never met,” Obama said. “They are good stewards, serving their neighborhoods, their communities, our nation, with courage, fortitude and strength.”
