Remembering Brian Wolnewitz: National group honors Gardens fire captain who died of cancer

PALM BEACH GARDENS — A Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue captain who died of lung cancer in August 2022 will be honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial this weekend.

Capt. Brian Wolnewitz was a father of four and a Palm Beach Gardens native who died at age 44. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation will remember him for his "courage, selflessness and passion for helping others" in a candlelight service on Saturday, May 4, and a memorial service the following day in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

The foundation, a nonprofit started by Congress in 1992, will honor 225 other firefighters this year, seven of them from Florida, and many of whom also died of complications from cancer caused by the effects of firefighting.

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Brian Wolnewitz shared with colleagues what his experience taught him

This risk is something Wolnewtiz tirelessly tried to educate fellow firefighters about.

He told The Palm Beach Post in 2021 that he never smoked a day in his life. Oncologists credited the cause of his cancer to breathing in toxins on the job. He said he didn’t know of the dangers of cancer to firefighters until before he was promoted to captain, already well into his career at that point.

“Until it affects you or someone you love, it doesn’t become tangible," Wolnewitz, by then a Jupiter resident, said in 2021.

Palm Beach Gardens Fire-Rescue Chief Keith Bryer said after his death that Wolnewitz’ fight against cancer “couldn’t take away his will to live, to be there for his family, or to get back to the job he loved.”

The PGA Boulevard bridge will be lit in red through Sunday, May 5, in recognition of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, a memorial lighting that Bryer said has taken on more significance in the city since Wolnewitz' death.

"Although we miss Brian every day, his memory lives on," Bryer said. "We will not forget him, his courage, or his mission to educate other firefighters about the risk of firefighter occupational cancer."

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Burning substances shed chemicals, making firefighters vulnerable to cancer

Cancer is a rampant cause of death among firefighters. In 2023, 72% of International Association of Firefighters member deaths nationwide were from occupational cancer.

After his diagnosis, Wolnewitz worked to raise awareness about the risk of cancer to firefighters, sharing his story on social media, and tapping into a network of active and retired firefighters that educates fellow firefighters.

Firefighters nationwide have called attention to the risk for more than a decade, noting that a wide range of cancer diagnoses are common among their ranks. Studies have found chemicals from burning substances can seep into firefighters' skin and that repeated exposure can lead to health issues.

"His goal when he was diagnosed was to raise awareness and funds for those who will be in his same situation after he is gone," wrote his wife, Julie Wark Wolnewitz in a Facebook posting about her husband in 2022. "He did just that and then some. He is truly the most selfless man I have ever known."

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National Fallen Firefighters events this weekend to be livestreamed

The candelight service on May 4 will be from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m, and the memorial service on May 5 will be from 10 a.m. to noon. Both events are open to the public and will be streamed live at live.firehero.org.

They will take place at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park in Emmitsburg, about 60 miles north of Washington, D.C.

Throughout the weekend, there will be additional events, small group sessions and other activities exclusively for the families and coworkers of the honored firefighters.

Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach Gardens fire captain died of cancer honored at memorial