Even as a child, John knew that he wanted to be a firefighter. In 1981, John became a Los Angeles County firefighter and became a paramedic in 1988. In 2005, he was honored with the prestigious Paramedic of the Year award. John loved his career and took pride in his work and the people he worked with. John was a true inspiration to many young firefighters and many say they would never be who they are today if it weren't for John. Off duty, John was a loving husband, father of three, and grandfather of five. He died in 2012 of job-related cancer