Remembering Firefighters Who Fought More Than Flames | Durham News

When tragedy strikes, firefighters don’t just grieve—they fight back. In Roanoke Rapids, the loss of Battalion Chief Kevin Hawkins to lymphoma and Engineer Patrick Pegram to suicide exposed a painful truth: first responders face deadly risks beyond flames. With September dedicated to awareness, the department turned grief into action—wearing green shirts and bracelets to spark conversations, leaning on peer support teams for strength, and honoring fallen heroes whose sacrifices remind us that even those who save others need saving too.

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This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.
Sources:
https://www.wral.com/news/local/roanoke-rapids-fire-department-lymphona-awareness-suicide-awareness-september-2026/

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