Hampton Lost An Amazing Guy and a Local Hero

Kyle Jameson was a Firefighter, Husband, Dad and just an all-around great guy.

There has been a lot of news and social media coverage following the death of local Firefighter Kyle Jameson.  Kyle was fighting non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City when he passed away early Sunday morning.

To me, Kyle was more than just a news story about a firefighter.  He was my friend.

You may recall that last summer WMUR covered an event where people shaved their heads in support of Kyle who, soon thereafter, went into remission.

However it was late last year when Kyle learned that the cancer had returned, somewhat aggressively. Kyle sought treatment in Boston before moving to New York City.

I've read so many posts about Kyle and the celebration of his life.  He was a local hero. He was a veteran of the Hampton Fire Department, a paramedic and an upstanding member of the local Hampton community.

But what breaks my heart the most is that he was also a new Dad.  His son Liam was born just last spring. To Kyle, his wife and new son were his world.  He was so proud to be a new Dad.

Kyle was so full of life.  He was a funny, charming, well-spoken man who worked hard and provided for his family. His smile lit up a room. He never deserved this, but he took it in stride. 

The last time I saw him was just before Thanksgiving.  He was cracking jokes, drinking beers with our friends and loving his new life as a Dad. He spoke at length about his journey and how happy he was to be in remission.  

He also mentioned that his type of cancer may have a connection to firefighters and that it may or may not be caused by toxins in the fumes of building fires.

After he mentioned that, I only assumed that he wouldn't be returning to work in that field.  However when I asked what he planned on doing for work he was quick to tell me that his plans were to go back to being a firefighter and paramedic.

There was never a doubt in his mind that he wanted to be back on the job. And he was more than determined to be back in action. He joked about the fact that being home all day and not going to work was driving him crazy.

Kyle's wife Christine is a long-time friend of mine.  We've known each other since middle school.  She established a Facebook support page as a way to communicate the progress in his treatment.

Chris' strength throughout this process was unmatched.  She was positive, supportive and Kyle's primary patient advocate from start to end.

It doesn't surprise me.  Chris was one of the smartest kids in school.  She always worked her hardest on any task at hand.

But now she faces the toughest challenge anyone can take on- the loss of a spouse and raising a child on her own. There are no words that I can offer to her and their family other than that my heart just breaks for them.

Even writing this brings tears to my eyes.

Today, WOKQ & all of Townsquare Media New Hampshire salutes Kyle Jameson. Gone too soon, but certainly never forgotten. Rest in peace, my friend.  You will be missed.