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ANGELS IN OUR MIDST
BRATT, FL - He has answered the call of his community for 31 selfless years.
Robert Stewart was one of the first volunteer firefighters for the Bratt community.
The last 21 years, he served with the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department; 15 years as chief.
That's a life of service; the life of an Angel In Our Midst.
Voice of Robert Stewart; Just be here to try to help the community. Regardless of what time they needed me.
William Reynolds; Accident at two o'clock in the morning, he's the guy that even though he had to be to work at five o'clock in the morning, would tell his men to go home and he would stay on the scene waiting for a trooper.
William Reynolds has known Robert Stewart for 15 years and has covered many of the fire department's calls for his on-line publication, north escambia.com.
William Reynolds, NorthEscambia.com Publisher; He's the man that, I guess you could say, was sometimes the glue behind the community, you know. From the fish fries that brought the community together over the years that would be done here at the fire station...to...he's the guy who's concerned, not only immediately, the emergency situation but concerned about the people and the aftermath.
From fires to car accidents to medical emergencies, small rural departments respond to them all.
Robert Stewart, Walnut HIll VFD; Especially your tragedy calls, you don't forget them. Don't like to talk about 'em but you don't forget them.
That's because almost every call is personal.
Robert; Where you know people it makes it hard. Close knit community, it's not too many folks up here you don't know a little bit about.
Like the 16 year old driver who lost a portion of one leg when this car split in half in a rollover accident.
Robert; Her daddy was president of the hunting club and I knew the girl from a little bitty thing.
Another run he'll never forget is to the scene of a car upside in a drainage ditch filled with water; inside, a mother and three young children.
Robert; Hear these younguns and mother hollerin; get my children out. I managed to get that door open enough to get all four of them out. They claimed I was a hero but I wasn't. I just done what I had to do.
He did what he had to and some things he didn't have to do. You know those "Cat in a tree" calls, he responded to those too.
Robert; I said, Yes mam, with a .22. "Well, I don't want to kill the thing." I told her I'd be over in a little while.
All of those memories he takes with him as he reluctantly retires. Mr. Stewart has his own emergency to respond to...He's in a battle for his life against leukemia. Time is spent with daily treatments and a dose of something special.
That's my little man; that's my grandson.
William; I was talking to Robert at his house one evening...He was sad and visibly upset, talking about upcoming treatments. But, then Little Man got his attention and he was all smiles 'cause Little Man is his heart.
And it looks like a pretty good bet, little man is going to pick up one day, right where grandpa left off.
Voice of Robert Stewart; I was just here strictly to help people in the community. Wasn't no fame and glory, nothing like that.
Robert Stewart was one of the first volunteer firefighters for the Bratt community.
The last 21 years, he served with the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department; 15 years as chief.
That's a life of service; the life of an Angel In Our Midst.
Voice of Robert Stewart; Just be here to try to help the community. Regardless of what time they needed me.
William Reynolds; Accident at two o'clock in the morning, he's the guy that even though he had to be to work at five o'clock in the morning, would tell his men to go home and he would stay on the scene waiting for a trooper.
William Reynolds has known Robert Stewart for 15 years and has covered many of the fire department's calls for his on-line publication, north escambia.com.
William Reynolds, NorthEscambia.com Publisher; He's the man that, I guess you could say, was sometimes the glue behind the community, you know. From the fish fries that brought the community together over the years that would be done here at the fire station...to...he's the guy who's concerned, not only immediately, the emergency situation but concerned about the people and the aftermath.
From fires to car accidents to medical emergencies, small rural departments respond to them all.
Robert Stewart, Walnut HIll VFD; Especially your tragedy calls, you don't forget them. Don't like to talk about 'em but you don't forget them.
That's because almost every call is personal.
Robert; Where you know people it makes it hard. Close knit community, it's not too many folks up here you don't know a little bit about.
Like the 16 year old driver who lost a portion of one leg when this car split in half in a rollover accident.
Robert; Her daddy was president of the hunting club and I knew the girl from a little bitty thing.
Another run he'll never forget is to the scene of a car upside in a drainage ditch filled with water; inside, a mother and three young children.
Robert; Hear these younguns and mother hollerin; get my children out. I managed to get that door open enough to get all four of them out. They claimed I was a hero but I wasn't. I just done what I had to do.
He did what he had to and some things he didn't have to do. You know those "Cat in a tree" calls, he responded to those too.
Robert; I said, Yes mam, with a .22. "Well, I don't want to kill the thing." I told her I'd be over in a little while.
All of those memories he takes with him as he reluctantly retires. Mr. Stewart has his own emergency to respond to...He's in a battle for his life against leukemia. Time is spent with daily treatments and a dose of something special.
That's my little man; that's my grandson.
William; I was talking to Robert at his house one evening...He was sad and visibly upset, talking about upcoming treatments. But, then Little Man got his attention and he was all smiles 'cause Little Man is his heart.
And it looks like a pretty good bet, little man is going to pick up one day, right where grandpa left off.
Voice of Robert Stewart; I was just here strictly to help people in the community. Wasn't no fame and glory, nothing like that.
ANGELS IN OUR MIDST ENTRY FORM
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