The 38th annual Fallen Heroes Day observance will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 5, 2023, at the Fallen Heroes Memorial at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. The event honors police, firefighters, and emergency medical/rescue personnel who have died in the line of duty and is the only statewide ceremony in the nation that brings together all segments of the public safety community.
The ceremony is open to the public. Family members of those being honored will be in attendance. The event will open with a procession of honor guard units from across the state, mounted units, and motorcycle police. The bell that is housed on Maryland’s 9/11 Rolling Memorial will toll as we honor Maryland’s first responders. Ceremony is held rain or shine.
Delivering memorial addresses will be Governor Wes Moore and Stacy L. Rodgers, Chief Administrative Officer, Office of the Baltimore County Executive.The keynote speaker will be Stuart M. Nathan, Assistant Attorney General and Principal Counsel for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.The family speaker will be Debbie Sorrells, mother of fallen hero Baltimore County Police Officer Amy Sorrells Caprio. Local broadcaster and artist Mary Beth Marsden will serve as the emcee.
Location: The Fallen Heroes Memorial is located within Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, 200 East Padonia Road, Timonium, MD 21093.
The 2023 ceremony will honor:
*Corrections Officer Gregory G. Collins, Maryland Division of Corrections, End of Watch: June 4, 2001.
*Captain David A. Insley, Jr., Salisbury Fire Department, End of Watch: June 11, 2018.
*Chief James P. Seavey, Sr., Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department, End of Watch: September 4, 2018.
*Lieutenant Brad A. Scott, Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services, End of Watch: May 31, 2020.
*Corporal Gregory J. Bednarek, Maryland Transportation Authority Police, End of Watch: November 9, 2020.
*President Milton A. “Butch” Bloom III, Leitersburg Volunteer Fire Company, End of Watch: January 19, 2022.
*Deputy First Class Kenneth C. Olander, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, End of Watch: March 2, 2022.
*Deputy First Class Glenn R. Hilliard, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, End of Watch: June 12, 2022.
*Deputy Fire Chief Charles M. “Trey” Kelso, III, Beltsville Volunteer Fire Department, and past Fire Chief, Laurel Volunteer Fire Department, End of Watch: September 24, 2022.
*Fire Chief Neil A. Payne, Stockton Volunteer Fire Company, End of Watch: October 16, 2022.
*EMT/Firefighter Juan M. Wilson, Baltimore City Fire Department, End of Watch: October 30, 2022.
A moment of silence will be observed for the following first responders:
*Deputy Sheriff Lorin M. Readmond, Loving County Sherriff’s Office, Texas, End of Watch: January 29, 2022. Deputy Reamond is originally from Baltimore, MD.
*Assistant Fire Chief Zachary Paris, Community Fire Company of New Tripoli, Pennsylvania, End of Watch: December 7, 2022. Zachary Paris was also a career member of the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services.
Each year the ceremony also recognizes one firefighter and one police officer who died in the line of duty before Fallen Heroes Day was established. Remembered this year will be:
* Lt. John T. Killian, Jr., Baltimore City Fire Department, End of Watch: March 10, 1985
*Lt. Colonel Harry L. George, Maryland Natural Resources Police, End of Watch: October 24, 1978
To be Honored at the 2024 Fallen Heroes Ceremony:
Master Firefighter Craig E. Ralston, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), Deputy Chief with the Ellicott City Volunteer Fire Department.
*The families of the fallen heroes will be presented with a replica of the Fallen Heroes Memorial and a resolution from the Maryland General Assembly.
*Teams from Crisis Response Canines will be on site to provide support and comfort for the first responders and families in attendance.
*The ceremony will conclude with a wreath placement, followed by a 21-gun salute, Taps and a fly-over.
*Currently, 78 members of the public safety community are buried at the Fallen Heroes Memorial. Including this year’s observance, a total of 222 Fallen Heroes will have been honored at the annual ceremony. A list of all fallen heroes honored since the ceremony began 38 years ago can be found at www.dulaneyvalley.com.
The ceremony will be both in-person and live-streamed at 1 p.m.:
Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dulaneyvalleymemorialgardens.
taped version of the ceremony will be available on the Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens website www.dulaneyvalley.com.