Coronavirus Latest: First Responders Come Together To Honor Mercy Fitzgerald Paramedic Kevin Bundy Who Died From COVID-19
DARBY, Pa. (CBS) -- First responders came together in Delaware County on Tuesday to honor a paramedic from Mercy Fitzgerald who passed away from COVID-19. Emergency officials in Delaware County stress Kevin Bundy was young, he was healthy and he knew the proper precautions to take, but he still lost his life to the coronavirus.
Bundy, 33, was last at work at Mercy Fitzgerald on April 1.
Bundy was on the job for more than three years, graduating from the academy in 2016.
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He is the first line-of-duty death in Delaware County among first responders.
Bundy was remembered today for his sacrifice and work on behalf of the people of Delaware County. He was saluted in a procession where the public servant's remains were transferred from Mercy Fitzgerald in Darby to a funeral home in West Philadelphia.
It was about as close to a final farewell in these days of social distancing as one could envision.
First responders, nurses, medical techs and doctors all lined Lansdowne Avenue to salute Bundy and thank him for his courage and his contributions.
"Kevin really represented a generation of young people that are coming forward to serve in their communities. They're stepping up, especially in the medical field. Kevin recently graduated from the academy as a paramedic just three years ago, which is not an easy class. He took that on and he went out and served in our most difficult neighborhoods," Delaware County Emergency Management Director Tim Boyce said. "To everyone who knew him, he was a happy guy, he had a good sense of humor and he loved what he was doing in serving people."
Bundy's last day on the job was exactly two weeks ago tomorrow. He became ill and was eventually hospitalized.
Word of Bundy's death came Sunday night.
"The entire Mercy Fitzgerald family is grieving over the loss of Kevin, and we are all thinking about and praying for his family during this unimaginably painful time. The tribute today from first responders and our team is just another example of the coming together we are seeing in our community," Mercy Catholic Medical Center President Chris Cullom said. "We thank the fire departments, the emergency medical responders and all those on the front line for what they do every day. This devastating loss is a reminder that we must be vigilant in fighting the virus. We can all help honor Kevin by staying home, socially distancing and taking all the protective measures to heart."
It was a moving gesture from those still gripped with helping the most vulnerable in this fight.
