An Oklahoma mom and volunteer firefighter loses her life on the job combating a wildfire.
She handed away Sunday, her daughter shared her legacy with Information 9.
“I’m nonetheless processing it nonetheless, she’s my mother, she’s my hero, my greatest pal,” mentioned daughter Schuyler Wilken.
For greater than 20 years April Partridge volunteered, responding to fires when known as.
“She appreciated serving to individuals it’s what she lived for,” mentioned Wilken.
Sunday was no completely different. Edgewater Park’s April Partridge and her son Brian have been one of many first on the scene of a hearth in northern Comanche County.
“He mentioned it was very loud and that the hearth was transferring extraordinarily quick and with the winds we had yesterday (Sunday), it bought away from them,” mentioned Wilken.
With winds gusting and smoke limiting visibility, the veteran firefighter grew to become misplaced.
“After they went to go away, she was apparently not there, so she was separated from her crew,” mentioned Oklahoma State Asst. Hearth Marshal James Fullingim.
“I bought the decision at one o’clock yesterday (Sunday) that my mom was severely injured and that they have been performing CPR,” mentioned Wilken.
The fireplace scorched practically 200 acres. Wilken’s mom suffered burns to greater than 80% of her physique.
“Forty-five minutes later I bought the decision that they might not resuscitate her, that she was gone, that she didn’t make it,” mentioned Wilken.
Her loss is tough to return to phrases with. In October, April rang the bell, surviving her hardest battle.
“Simply beat breast most cancers, didn’t suppose that that is how she was going to exit,” mentioned Wilken.
Wilken within the pouring rain watched as firefighters, police, and neighborhood supporters escorted her mom, her hero, dwelling.
“She needed to go away a mark on this world, one thing optimistic for somebody to look again on and say, she did it so can I,” mentioned Wilken.