HONEA PATH, S.C. — A community is mourning the death of a 17-year-old firefighter who died after collapsing at his family’s farm Monday.
WYFF4.com reported that fellow volunteer firefighters, with the Friendship (S.C.) Fire Department, responded to the call. They didn’t know it was for volunteer firefighter Austin Trace McMillan.
“I had no idea it was him until we got there and started working on him, and it just shocked us all,” Lt. Rodney Mattison said. “It was just terrible. I just felt for all the young guys that were there with us. It was hard on them. Really hard.”
Despite multiple attempts to revive McMillian, he was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Fire officials said he died of sudden cardiac arrest, which was the result of an infection of his heart.
McMillian had just turned 17 in August and was a junior in high school.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized but Fire Chief Matthew Ashley said family members have asked for a firefighter’s funeral.
“Our department’s really going to miss him. Our guys are hurt right now, as well as the family. We just ask that people just keep the family and our department in your prayers,” Chief Ashley said.
This is the third junior firefighter with the Friendship Fire Department who has died since 2001, according to the report.