By FireRescue1 Staff
CATHEDRAL, Calif. — Hundreds of firefighters gathered Tuesday to mourn the death of a veteran Cal Fire firefighter who died after a battle with cancer.
Sara Thomas, 41, died of cancer Jan. 31; she was diagnosed in December 2015.
Thomas, a 16-year veteran, was remembered by colleagues as a “mama bear,” reported the Desert Sun.
“Sara’s one of the few people in this world I admire,” Deputy Fire Chief Dan Talbot said. “She not only was a leader to new firefighters, but she was someone who pushed someone on in their career and made them successful.”
Thomas was public with her battle with cancer and an advocated for cancer awareness. Thomas leaves behind her husband and two daughters. At her funeral, her sister encouraged other firefighters to get screened.
“Sara fought cancer; she fought it hard,” Riverside County Fire Chief John Hawkins said. “Unfortunately, as is most of the time, cancer fights dirty and wins. Such is how it went for Sara.”