Scroll to the bottom to watch footage of the procession.
By Doug Saunders
The San Bernardino County Sun
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Two San Bernardino police motorcycles and several fire engines escorted a white hearse carrying the body of a San Bernardino firefighter, who perished during a recent family vacation, as it traveled Tuesday from Ontario to a mortuary in Menifee.
San Bernardino firefighter engineer John Ruppert died Thursday after being electrocuted while repairing a houseboat on Lake Powell, Utah, while vacationing with his family.
He was 36.
Ruppert was performing required maintenance on the houseboat generator filter when the accident happened, officials said.
His co-workers at the Fire Department were caught off guard when they learned of their friend’s death.
“He was like a little brother to me, and I’m sure he affected many others the same way,” Capt. Mike Arvizo said. “We’ve lost a true hero, a brother and a friend.”
Ruppert began his career with the San Bernardino Fire Department in 2005 after leaving his job with the Upland Fire Department.
The week before he went in front of the San Bernardino City hiring board, he heroically saved the life of an Upland Fire Department engineer who was critically injured in a collision on the 10 Freeway in Ontario.
On that early March morning, Ruppert -- a young firefighter/paramedic at the time -- was in the rear seat of the fire engine making its way to a crash on the busy 10 Freeway near Fourth Street.
But that day would end much different from any other and was filled with chaos.
As the engineer tried to merge into the eastbound carpool lane, just past the Fourth Street exit, the fire engine collided with a casino tour bus filled with senior citizens from Los Angeles.
As a result of the crash, Upland Fire engineer Tom Barilla, was ejected and suffered major chest and head injuries.
Receiving severe head lacerations himself, Ruppert began working on Barilla and trying to save the veteran firefighter’s life. Barilla was taken by helicopter to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton.
“Fire engineer John Ruppert established a culture of selflessness and heroism during his service to the San Bernardino community,” Mayor R. Carey Davis said. “I extend my prayers and sincerest condolences to his loved ones. His passing is a tragic loss to the San Bernardino community, and we stand behind his family at this difficult time.”
Memories of Ruppert playing jokes on his co-workers began to flood in.
“He was always playing jokes on everyone,” Arvizo said. “His laugh was so contagious and it never got old.”
Ruppert was an amazing person all the way around, retired fire Capt. Tony Giordano said.
“He loved God, his family and his fire career,” Giordano said. “He was smart, talented, funny and a true friend.”
Firefighters escorted the hearse carrying Ruppert’s body from the Ontario airport on the east 10 Freeway to the north 15 Freeway, to the east 210 Freeway, and to the south 215 Freeway to Menifee.
Miguel Hernandez, 63, of San Bernardino, took time out of his day to stand at the Base Line overpass of the south 215 Freeway to watch the procession pass by.
“We had a fire in our garage last year and after reading a newspaper article I recognized the fireman,” Hernandez said with tears falling. “This man and all the other firemen were so nice and did everything they could for us so I felt it was my duty to come out here and show support.”
Hernandez went on to say he was a firefighter in the Marine Corps and has the utmost respect for firefighters.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Canyon Lake Community Church, 30515 Railroad Canyon Road.
A gofundme account was set up to assist Ruppert’s family. He is survived by his wife, Kristen, and their two children Jackson, 7, and Keira, 4.
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(c)2016 the San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, Calif.)