DJ Says...

Two of Houston's public servants, James Harlow and Damion Hobbs, gave their lives in the line of duty Sunday.

From the Houston Chronicle on Sunday:

Two Houston firefighters died early Easter morning trying to save an elderly couple from their blazing home.

Capt. James Harlow, 50, and rookie firefighter Damion Hobbs, 30, didn’t know the homeowners had already escaped. The couple, both in their 80s, were safely down the street by the time firefighters arrived.

The fallen firefighters never made it out of the sprawling one-story, 4,170-square-foot home on Oak Vista.

And from a follow-up article this morning:

Harlow’s crew member and fellow firefighter David Watson mourned the loss of his captain on Sunday.

“It’s just feels like a bad dream and he’ll be there when we come back to work,” said Watson, 40, who has worked on Harlow’s crew at Fire Station 26 for about five years.

Indeed it does feel like a bad dream. I grew up with James: same schools, same church, crushes on the same girls. As teens we took different paths as most do and time pushes memories out of sight to make room for new ones. Those memories flowed from deep corners of the mind this weekend through many tears. Throwing spitballs across the room, passing notes in class, making enough of a ruckus to be called out from the pulpit, summer camp, riding our bicycles to the store on a lazy summer day. Kid stuff.

No matter what the situation, Harlow was an optimist. In his East-Texas accent, he would spout his reassuring motto, “Everything is going to be all right.”

That brought a smile because that is the kid I remember. Even in the darkest moment, James knew that his hope came from a higher power. That he and his fellow firefighter gave their lives on Easter Sunday in service to others should serve to remind all of us what the true meaning of Easter is.

Godspeed, James. I'll see you in due time.