TRIBUTES have been paid to a senior firefighter who was adored and respected by both his own family and his wider work family.
Retired Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dominic Brown, of County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, passed away with brain cancer on June 24, aged 49.
On Monday, he was given a full fire service funeral at which loved ones and colleagues described him as both an outstanding, brave officer and a loving, devoted family man.
Today, we said goodbye to retired ACFO Dominic Brown, who passed away on Thurs 24th June. Dominic was given a full fire service funeral & was described as an outstanding officer whose commitment, bravery & humour touched everyone he met. Our thoughts remain with family & friends. pic.twitter.com/y0Ce8OpWQm
— County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service (@CDDFRS) July 5, 2021
The dad-of-three, from Spennymoor, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in February 2019 and he and wife, Becky, immediately made a pact to adapt to everything they faced together.
She said: “We just made a pact to make everything as normal as possible for the family, and he managed to stay happy always.
“We knew from the beginning it was terminal and he was given a year to live, but he made up his own rules and dealt with it his way.
“He had five tumours in total and each one took something away from him. Even though he knew he was dying and it was heart-breaking, he was happy.”
Mrs Brown said: “He loved his job, he was so passionate about it and the people and he went back for a while after diagnosis because he genuinely felt he could do something for the people, to use his experience and contribute to decisions strategically for the good of colleagues and the public.
“He was very highly regarded by the service, but people from fire services across the country have also been in touch – from places I don’t even know and people I didn’t know he met – to say how inspirational he was.
“It has been incredible and overwhelming, it is just a shame it took this for us to realise just how loved and respected he was.”
The couple, who celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in May, met when Mr Brown was an instructor in the fire brigade’s training school and she was training as a retained firefighter at Spennymoor.
Mrs Brown later joined Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service for two years before returning to County Durham fulltime.
They have two daughters, ten-year-old Sophie and Emily, six, and Mr Brown has a 21-year-old son, Ewan.
Mrs Brown, 35, said as passionate as her husband was about his job, his family and spending time with them were the most important things in his life.
She said: “The last four months were slow, but we made an effort to have me and him time.
“He just adored his children, Dom lived for the days Ewan came to stay and the time he had with the girls.
“Some of our happiest memories are from our static caravan in Beadnell, on the beach or crabbing.
“His kids were his absolute world, he was a really hands-on fun dad.
“When Dom could no longer walk he got a mobility scooter at 49-years-old. Most people would be embarrassed, going from assistant chief to that, but he got a piece of rope to tie a sledge to the back and went to school to pick up the girls in the snow and they giggled riding all the way home like that.
“He wasn’t bothered by anything as long as they were happy.”
Mrs Brown shared the poignant words she shared at her husband’s funeral on Monday.
She wrote: “To My Mr B,
“We have had 18 amazing years together, we have gone through so many highs and lows but always came out stronger than ever. You were my soulmate.
You taught me how to love and how to be loved, you inspired me to always try harder and you always believed in.
You taught me about compassion, patience, kindness and selflessness.
Together we had something beautiful along with Ewan, Sophie and Emily, and I’ll be eternally grateful for that.
You were the most incredible, bravest, strongest, most determined man I know, an absolute legend to hundreds and an inspiration to everyone, right ‘til the end.
I am immensely proud that I get to say you were mine, and I was yours.
I have always and I will always love you.
“From your Mrs B.”
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