JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. —
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department will honor one of its own with a memorial paddle for fallen firefighter Brian McCluney.
The memorial will begin Sunday, August 14, at 10 a.m. at Seawalk Pavillion, with the paddle out scheduled for 11 a.m. The event is open to the public.
T-shirts and bracelets will be available for purchase with all proceeds benefiting “Never Alone Widows”.
In August 2019, Jacksonville firefighter Brian McCluney and his friend Justin Walker disappeared during a fishing trip off Florida’s east coast.
The men were last seen leaving the Christopher Columbus boat ramp on August in a 24-foot center console heading toward 8A Reef. Their disappearance set off a massive exhausting search that lasted close to a week and covered more than 90,000 square miles.
37-year-old McCluney was an engineer and paramedic at Station 31 on Hillman Drive.
Over the course of the 10-day search, hundreds of volunteers came forward from across the region to aid in the search and rescue mission.
One of the only clues to surface in the search was Brian McCluney’s tackle bag.
The two men were never found.
The memorial paddle out
[ A celebration of life: Honoring the life of missing JFRD firefighter ]
In October 2019, Stephanie McCluney and her family held a celebration of life service to honor Brian McCluney and his service with JFRD. It was open to the public and held at North Jacksonville Baptist Church.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I cannot give enough gratitude,” McCluney’s wife, Stephanie, said.
“It was tough for me. It’s been tough for those men and women at Fire Station 31 that served with Brian,” JFRD Chief Keith Powers told Action News Jax. “It’s been tough for this entire department.”
Dozens of local firefighters, police city, and state leaders showed up in support of McCluney’s family. Powers said the room was filled with tears, followed by love and laughter.
Kevin McCluney’s brother described him as a humble man who loved his family and God.
“He truly, sincerely wanted to help the world,” McCluney said.