GEORGETOWN, Del.- People gathered at Crossroad Community Church Thursday to pay their final respects to volunteer firefighter Thomas Berry III, who died while assisting a driver after a crash on Route 9 earlier this month.
Berry is being remembered as a hero whose legacy will endure. Colleagues described him as more than just a firefighter or EMS employee—he was a mentor who always put others first.
As the somber sound of bagpipes played, Berry's casket, draped in the American flag, was lifted onto a firetruck. Hundreds of emergency service workers saluted him, and inside the church, a eulogy from his Sussex County EMS manager, Bobby Schoonover, brought many to tears.
“He was a hero who gave his life serving the community,” said EMS Director Robert Murray. He reflected on the tragic day Berry lost his life, highlighting Berry’s dedication to his duties.
“We have a policy where if you are in a marked paramedic vehicle; we expect you to stop and check for injuries. That’s exactly what he did,” Murray explained.
Murray also spoke about how Berry transitioned seamlessly from his EMS role to his duties as a volunteer firefighter, engaging with the patient during the emergency.
Colleagues said that at his core, Berry was always a firefighter. Ellendale Fire Company President Kyle Perry shared that Berry was an eight-year member who grew up in Ellendale and was a mentor to the junior membership.
“Thomas did what any volunteer firefighter would do. He honored all of us with his bravery, and though his loss is tragic, he represented all three agencies with pride,” Perry said.
Berry’s heroism was remembered today, and his legacy will live on. He was named Ellendale’s Firefighter of the Year in 2022 and was loved and admired by everyone who knew him.
The accident on August 12 involved a Chevrolet Malibu sideswiping a Toyota Camry before veering off the road and hitting a utility pole. Berry was assisting the Malibu driver when the pole snapped, bringing down electrical wires.