Visitation Tuesday, Funeral Wednesday for Firefighter Corey Shaw
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Somewhere between Friday's horrific fire that destroyed the northeast corner of the square in Pinckneyville and a Wednesday motorcade that will take a fallen Du Quoin firefighter between the raised ladders of two aerial trucks with the American flag hanging inbetween Corey Shaw, 22, will become unforgettable.
Inbetween, churches across Du Quoin prayed for his family. "We thank you Lord for the giving of the service of Corey Shaw," Bethel Lutheran Church pastor Mark Buetow told his congregation. He talked of the pain the Lord must have felt in the sacrifices of his son, Jesus.
"Chief Shaw (Corey's father) knows what that's like," he continued.
At Corey's nearby Sacred Heart Catholic Church, parishioners were numbed by the loss. The funeral service for Shaw will be conducted from that church at 10 a.m. Wednesday with Fr. Nick Junker officiating.
West Main Street in front of the church and from Chestnut Street to Main Street will be blocked off during that service as will North Walnut Street alongside the church from Main to Park.
The motorcade and dozens of Southern Illinois firefighters will leave the church, head south on South Hickory Street, cross the overpass and drive through the twin aerial trucks whose ladders will be raised near the Du Quoin fire station, where Corey served as a volunteer fireman in training for the past year. Burial will be in the Old Du Quoin Cemetery.
Public visitation will be held from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday in the gymnasium at the Du Quoin Middle School.
Corey passed away at 8:18 p.m. on Friday, June 17 at the St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis from injuries sustained when the upper third of the east wall of the Pinckneyville Antique Mall fell and struck him. The accident happened only minute after eight firefighters from Du Quoin arrive on scene and began setting up its aerial ladder truck on the southeast corner of the scene.
Corey was among the eight. Pinckneyville realtor Liz Wilson said she could see Corey setting a ladder in place against the building from her nearby office window, which faces the alley. She had been told to get out of the building and walked out of the office to get a truck in hopes of removing some things from her office. "By the time I got back it was all over," she said.
Nearby firemen watched as the wall fell and immediately extricated Corey from the debris. He was taken to the south end of the alley to medics who were waiting for him. He had to be moved a second time to a "safe zone" farther east. Medics got an airway started and he was transported to the Pinckneyville Community Hospital only a block away.
A Life Team medical evacuation helicopter was in the sky within minutes and landed on the Pinckneyville High School parade field south of the high school. An ambulance team whisked those crewman to the Pinckneyville hospital to get an understanding of the trauma they would be dealing with.
With Corey onboard, an ambulance under local and state police escort sped back to the landing site where Corey was secured for the flight to St. Louis.
The desperate measures were carried out with great professionalism, precision and medical caring.
At 10:15 p.m., Perry County Emergency Services director David Searby stood alongside members of the Du Quoin City Council at a press conference to announce the unthinkable-the first death ever of an active firefighter.
"This is a sad night for the citizens of Du Quoin," said Mayor John Rednour. He ordered all flags to be flown at half staff. Police and fire commissioner Josh Downs said, "He cannot be forgotten. We will do our best in the community to rally around those who are most affected."
Commissioner Rex Duncan added that, "Tonight we are one community united in prayer, united in remembrance and united in gratitude."
Assistant Du Quoin Fire Chief Rick Loyd said his department got the fire call at 3:29 p.m. and by 3:50 p.m. had pulled onto the square in Pinckneyville to set up an aerial ladder truck. Firefighters remained at the scene until at least 10 p.m. " I can visualize what happened," said Loyd, but I do not have any information. He was not by himself," he added. Loyd said Corey was enrolled in basic firefighter training and was "absolutely interested in every aspect of firefighting."
"You feel so inadequate at a time like this," said Loyd, holding the Shaws in the highest regard. He was the son of Du Quoin Fire Chief Robert D. and Rosalyn (Short) Shaw.
Corey was a press operator at Continental Tire in Mt. Vernon and he had been a member of the Du Quoin Fire Department since July, 2010. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Du Quoin and the Coalbelt Fire Protection Association.
Corey married Nichole Hoffner on May 30, 2009 at Du Quoin and she survives.
Among the survivors are his wife of Du Quoin and daughter-Camryn Ray Shaw of Du Quoin.
Friends may make memorials to an education fund for Camryn Ray Shaw and will be accepted at the funeral home.
Searby Funeral Home of Du Quoin is in charge of the arrangements.