The Buffalo Grove
Fire Department is mourning
the loss of one
of its own -- 23-year veteran,
Firefighter/Paramedic Kevin
Hauber, who died Saturday after a four-year battle with colon
cancer. He was only 50.
 |
| Kevin Hauber |
“Kevin
fought long
and
hard all while still
on the job protecting the
people of Buffalo
Grove, which was his
true passion. He grew up in
Buffalo
Grove
and
became a firefighter because his
childhood dream was to protect and
serve,” the Hauber family said in statement.
According to a village-issued press
release, growing up, he
and
his twin brother Jim, also
a firefighter/paramedic
with
the Buffalo Grove
Fire
Department, idolized the
characters on
the 1970s show, EMERGENCY! which profiled the
crew
of a California fire department. In
2014 while undergoing
chemotherapy treatments,
Hauber met one
of
the stars of the
show, Randy Mantooth, and was able to explain
to him how the
show motivated he and
his brother to
become firefighters. Mantooth signed
a picture of
them as
little boys during the meeting, an experience
that Hauber’s
family said he cherished.
 |
Kevin Hauber, Randy Mantooth from the 1970s television show,
EMERGENCY! and Kevin's twin brother, Jim Hauber
|
Hauber began
his
full-time
career in
Buffalo Grove in
1994
as a firefighter/paramedic. In
2004, he joined the
Associated Firefighters of Illinois (AFFI)
Honor Guard, which exists
to provide final
honors to fallen
firefighters throughout the
State of Illinois.
Buffalo
Grove
Fire
Chief Mike Baker said
Hauber deeply believed
in the mission of
the AFFI Honor Guard, and always
made
himself available to serve
at
events that honored fallen comrades.
In 2018, the
AFFI Honor Guard presented Kevin with the
2018 Donald J. Bower Commitment
to Excellence Award
for his
dedication and
commitment to the
Honor Guard.
“Kevin was a caring, loving
person who was always happy and never had anything bad to say
about anyone, even when he was sick,” Baker said. “He is already missed.”
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