By Ron Jackson
The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City)
Copyright 2006 The Oklahoman, All Rights Reserved
CHICKASHA, Okla. — The fire station on Sixth Street in Chickasha was Destry Horton’s home away from home for seven years.
Tuesday, it was the logical site for the fallen firefighter to be honored by an organization that recognizes sacrifices by men and women in uniform.
Horton died March 24 from burns suffered in a wildfire near Duncan on March 1.
The Oklahoma City chapter of The Military Order of the Purple Heart presented his wife, Brandy Horton, with a plaque during Tuesday ceremonies at the fire station.
“In Vietnam, we often said, ‘Each gave something; some gave all,’” said Vietnam veteran Don White, flanked by fellow Purple Heart recipients Jim Pumphrey, Bob Schipper and Bob Chatigny. “This young man gave all.”
White’s words brought Brandy to tears as her husband’s colleagues gathered around in silent support.
The organization, a band of about 200 Purple Heart recipients, often recognizes U.S. soldiers who are either wounded or killed in the line of duty. Recently, those honors have extended to those who defend the home front.
As for the plaque, it will be proudly added to a wall — Destry’s Wall — at the family’s home in Rush Springs. Since March, Brandy has received countless cards, mementos, and awards on behalf of her husband. Each item is carefully placed on the wall.
In September, Brandy Horton will travel to Colorado to receive another award at the International Association of Firefighters annual conference.
“That will be the last one,” she said, wiping away her tears. “This gets kind of tough sometimes, but I’m fine. Really.”
Destry Horton also left behind two daughters, Kylie, 7, and McKenzie, 4.
“With us, it’s day to day,” Brandy Horton said. “We have good days. We have bad days. Some days we do really, really bad. The toughest days are when the girls cry because they are missing him. They say, ‘I miss Daddy.’ That’s tough because there’s nothing I can do. He was a good man.
“God, I miss Destry.”
Brandy Horton and her girls often find themselves staring at his tombstone at a Rush Springs cemetery.
“We tell him how much we love him,” said Brandy Horton, 29. “We’ll take balloons with cards attached to them, and let them go. That’s just one way for the girls to feel like they are doing something for him.”
Chickasha Fire Chief Ronnie Kessler said Destry Horton always cared more for other people than himself.
“Around here, he always strived to do his very best, even beyond what was acceptable,” Kessler said. “That’s just the way he was.”
Horton planned to go golfing the day he suffered severe burns. He instead responded to an emergency call from the Acme volunteer fire department on a fire near Marlow. En route, he and other volunteers were called back. The fire had been contained. Then they received a call for another wildfire near Duncan.
Horton and his fellow firefighters rolled out once again.
“The last time we talked to him was on the cell phone,” recalled Rockey Pittman, Destry’s father-in-law. “He said, ‘It’s bad. It’s bad. It’s bad. I’ll call you back.’ That’s was the last time any of us heard from him.”
A rolling wave of flames reportedly overtook Horton and his fire truck, melting the vehicle’s windows and leaving him with fifth-degree burns. Horton died in an Oklahoma City hospital.
“We waited for a miracle,” Brandy Horton said. “I honestly thought he was going to live. God must have had other plans. We don’t know what they are, but it’s not for us to ask why.”