Fireman's Funeral At Breslin Center Draws Thousands To Bid Farewell

LANSING (WWJ) - The casket carrying the body of 35-year-old Dennis Rodeman was carried out of the Breslin Center at Michigan State University - where about 15,000 people came to say their final goodbyes to the Lansing firefighter.

Police say he was hit by 22-year-old Grant Taylor on purpose because he was annoyed that Rodeman was slowing traffic as he collected money for the annual 'Fill the Boot' fundraising campaign.

Lansing Fire Chief Randy Talifarro spoke of Rodeman during the funeral.

"It's been a really bad week," said Talifarro fighting back tears. "One of the worst I've experienced and I'm sure the rest of our fire fighting family and even as we grieve - we know that there are some that are suffering even worse than us ..."

"Dennis Rodeman was everything we value in America," he said, "he was everything we value in the Lansing Fire Department. He was everything we value in our families. Today I would like to end with --- Dennis Rodeman was a good man. Today let us honor him," he said.

Elder Martin Garn of the Saints of Jesus Christ Church in Charlotte says Rodeman was a big college football fan: "On Saturdays in late August like many of us .. he could be found sitting on the couch or a brown chair watching his favorite college football team the Michigan Wolverines."

Rodeman was married in June and leaves behind a wife, who is pregnant with their first child.