It was a massive funeral, on Avenida Bombero Villalobos they formed delegations of 21 bodies with more than 200 volunteer firefighters from our region in addition to the other 7 companies from the regional capital.
At the same time, the headquarters of the Fifth Company of the Rancagua Fire Department was full, family, friends and fire authorities filled the premises. And this was only the beginning of a well-deserved tribute and a heartfelt farewell to José Villalobos, commander of the Rancagua Fire Department.
José, el Cucho, el Negro, el Villa, died early on Saturday, March 23, admitted to the Barros Luco hospital in Santiago, a rapid and unexpected illness took him away at his young 40 years. Days before, both his blood family and his ideal family – the firefighters of the fifth company – had organized a great anti-cuuchada and participated in various prayer chains to support him in whatever he needed. But even though he fought until the last, his body could no longer resist and he quickly left at the call of the heavenly headquarters.
Those of us who remained here in the early hours of that Saturday heard the replicas of that call in the cries of the sirens of the barracks that sounded to say goodbye to the commander, and were replicated throughout the region on Saturday night when the Council of Commanders through that symbol decides to honor whoever was Regional Focal Point. José was not only a volunteer from Rancagua, he was a thorough firefighter and as a focal point he was in charge of coordinating the actions of the institution in major emergencies, thus tirelessly he was seen directing large forest fires, coordinating and directing the support that O’Higgins sent Chillán or worried about rescues during the great floods. Much more could be said about this young commander, a local hero. We could say that he professionally provided great services within a SAMU ambulance, or that together with his family he had set up a transport SME or how his two sons have continued his steps in the youth brigade. There are various messages of support on social networks that prove how loved and missed he was.
But returning to what was his farewell this Sunday. After the religious service, the coffin was loaded into the Firefighters mortuary cart, being escorted by the banners of all the bodies present and on the outside of the banners the volunteers of his beloved fifth company, the barracks he entered as a brigadier in 1996. his 13 years and with a pitiful siren call he said goodbye.
The procession was opened by the banner of the Rancagua Fire Department, carried and escorted by honorary volunteers of the unit, and by the banner of the fifth, of the Bomba New York.
Behind the mortuary car were the family and friends, and behind them marched the general directorate, along with national officers, the commanders of the region, the delegations of other Fire Departments, blocking the way for the 7 other companies of Rancagua, remember that the fifth -the mourning company- marched next to the body. And behind the volunteers, a long line of cars, there was at least a couple of kilometers of procession that on Sunday afternoon paraded between the fifth barracks and the Parque Jardín Las Flores cemetery, while neighbors spontaneously came out to the avenue to applaud the passage of the procession.
Already at the cemetery the tributes and words of affection continued. All to say goodbye to someone who left earlier than we wanted, a young man of only 40 years old who gave his life protecting the community, especially his city of Rancagua.
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