Images of four young children, solemnly attending their father’s memorial service touched the hearts of people across the country. Thousands mourned the loss of LAFD Firefighter Paramedic Eric F. Reiner and his colleagues, Michael A. Butler and Michael D. McComb, when they were killed in a tragic, on-duty helicopter crash in 1998 while trying to save the life of a young girl.
Then, and now, the Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemen’s Fund is there for the family. Thanks to the generous support of our gracious donors, Reiner’s sons, Nicholas and Lucas as well as daughters Jessica and Marissa each received memorial college scholarships to pursue their education and achieve their dreams.
“My father had great plans for me, which included a college education,” Jessica said. “I want to honor his memory and remain active and involved with the LAFD.”
Jessica majored in psychology at Santa Clara University, while Nicholas attended Stanford and Marissa used her scholarship to pursue a career in nursing.
“I like the fast pace,” Marissa said. “I think I get that from my family, it’s definitely the fireman influence.”
Marissa said the scholarship lifted some of the financial burden and allowed her to focus on schoolwork rather than having to work fulltime.
“Being a part of the LAFD family has enabled me to feel supported and taken care of through my journey to college,” she said. “It’s a really big honor to get this scholarship.”
She hopes to serve the community in any way possible.
Reiner’s youngest son, Lucas, utilized his scholarship to attend Loyola Marymount and major in accounting with a minor in history. These scholarships are possible thanks to the kindness and generosity of our gracious donors.
Members may contribute in a variety of ways, such as via online contributions, by including a gift in your estate plan or signing up for reoccurring, automatic donations via payroll or pension check deductions. For payroll or pension check contributions contact Member Services at MemberServices@lafra.org or (323) 259-5200 ext. 222 or 223.
You also may mail a check to:
Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firemen’s Fund
P.O. Box 41903
Los Angeles, CA. 90041
By Marlene Casillas
