12 first-responders honored during Maryland's 41st Fallen Heroes Day

Twelve Marylanders were honored Friday for giving the ultimate sacrifice to protect our communities in their time of need. It was part of the 41st annual Fallen Heroes Day ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

"I lost my favorite son. I would always call him my favorite, and he would always reply, 'Ma, I'm your only son,'" said Monica Gant.

Gant knows today's pain all too well.

"Once his journey here on earth was completed, a new journey of mine began. A journey that we share, which is grief," said Gant.

That's because her son, 31-year-old Rodney Pitts III, was killed battling a rowhome fire in Northwest Baltimore back in 2023.

"You are not alone. You have support and people to talk to, all in this room. Our fallen heroes live on forever in us. They live in our hearts for the love that we share for them," said Gant.

She says it's events like these that help her cope, and she hopes the families of this year's honorees take solace in knowing their loved one is not forgotten.

Honoring Maryland's first-responders

That's what the 41st annual Fallen Heroes Day is about- honoring Maryland's first responders who put their lives on the line to save ours.

"Someone is sick or dying, someone is in trouble or danger, someone is scared facing the unknown. And they show up every time we call up," said Rep. John Olszewski.

Rep. Olszewski was one of several state leaders in attendance, helping to read off the names of the fallen, some due to occupational illness, others to accidents on the job, all of them taken too soon.

"Age 41, 50, 48, 60, 42, 48…these are years that should still hold time for children and grandchildren. Spouses and friends, trips, ballgames, and new memories. But their years were shortened because they answered the call again and again without hesitation," said Rep. Olszewski.

He was joined by Governor Wes Moore and WJZ's very own Rick Ritter for the keynote address, reassuring these families that their loved ones' names will never be forgotten.

"The names of the fallen heroes that we honor today are etched forever in our state's memory, and our state will never forget them. They lived, they served, they gave, and their legacies live on," said Gov. Moore.

To date, 243 fallen heroes have been honored here in Maryland; 128 of them were law enforcement officers, and 115 of them were firefighters.