“He was ninety percent hotshot, and the ten percent was left for us. But he loved me more than I’ve ever been loved in my life.”

Amanda Marsh, widow of Eric Marsh, Granite Mountain Hotshots’ Founder and Superintendent, quoted in the July 5, 2013 issue of The Daily Courier

I was privileged to travel to Prescott, Arizona for the Fourth of July holiday last week, to spend time in the mountains with family and attend the rodeo. The town is reeling from the loss of nineteen brave young firefighters, the Granite Mountain Hotshots. On the day we arrived, crews brought down the team’s equipment for a memorial near Whiskey Row and the town square.

Prescott, AZ, July 3, 2013, Honoring the Granite Mountain Hotshots

In the fiction we craft, romance heroes come in many occupations, with a variety of flaws, but whether they are soldiers or cops, accountants or teachers, reporters or athletes, we expect them at story’s end to find a dedication to their life’s purpose, and a deep love for the heroine. Amanda Marsh’s poignant description of her husband’s dedication and love reminds us that heroes are not just fictional.  My heart goes out to her and all of the family and friends of these firefighters. May the courage and love these young men displayed inspire us all.

Image by Gary Varvel, garyvarvel.com