Community mourns fallen Seattle firefighter Matt Runte
SEATTLE - People lined Mercer Street and filled McCaw Hall on Saturday for a tearful tribute to a fallen hero and Army veteran.
Seattle firefighter Matt Runte was laid to rest after dying suddenly while on a jog on Capitol Hill in December.
The community and his family remembered the veteran firefighter and father on Saturday morning for his bright smile and dedication to helping the city and neighborhood he loved.
Since the devastating day of his death, there has been a sense of something missing not only felt by his family, but his colleagues and community in Seattle.
A marching procession on Mercer Street led to many tears outside McCaw Hall on Saturday morning.
For those who knew Runte, they saw a man who wanted to give back to his city and then give more.
"His heart was where we needed it to be. It was for others. It was on display so often," Seattle Fire Chief, Harold Scoggins said.
Runte always seemed to make an impression and his colleagues said he always wanted to change lives.
"His smile was infectious and he always wanted to make it better," Scoggins said.
Runte started as a firefighter in Seattle in 2002 and spent more than a decade working on Engine 25 at Station 25 on Capitol Hill.
"He threw light in every direction just by being him and I realize now, Matt Runte wasn't built for Capitol Hill, Capitol Hill was built for Matt Runte," Seattle Fire Deputy Chief, Tom Walsh said.
A sense of loss surged through the department as he died suddenly on Dec. 8 while out on a jog in the neighborhood.
Runte's sister-in-law, Becca Hughes, read several poems during the service.
"Not how did he die, but how did he live? Not what did he gain, but what did he give?" Hughes said.
His colleagues said he had a true love for his family.
Dying at just 44 years old, he left behind his wife, Shannon, and his young daughter, Emma.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell broke down speaking to Runte's little girl.
"You lost a great man. You tell everyone who your daddy was. You tell everybody, and you have a room full of fathers out here now," Harrell said tearfully during the service.
FOX 13 News interviewed Runte in 2014 as he recovered after being hit by a car while riding his motorcycle.
He had two toes amputated.
Runte told us then, he ran 20 miles a week and faced a possibility that he might not be able to do so anymore.
"I'm a firefighter. I'm a runner and I'm gonna get back to both of those things, so Mr. Surgeon, would you please just keep those in mind while you work on my foot," Runte said during that interview.
Friends said that perseverance and dedication was Runte.
Now, every time there's a run at Station 25 -- one of the busiest in Seattle -- it seems it's a tribute to a man who gave his all every day.
"We honor him by thinking about the memories we had with him, reflecting on those memories, thinking about his smile and hopefully that lifts us up when we're having a tough day," Scoggins said.
In that spirit, officials said Runte was also the commander of the department's Walter Kilgore Memorial Honor Guard.
The group was part of the marching procession on Saturday.
Get breaking news alerts in the FREE FOX 13 Seattle app. Download for Apple iOS or Android. And sign up for BREAKING NEWS emails delivered straight to your inbox.
Stay connected with FOX 13 News on all platforms:
DOWNLOAD: FOX 13 News and Weather Apps
WATCH: FOX 13 News Live
SUBSCRIBE: FOX 13 on YouTube
DAILY BRIEF: Sign Up For Our Newsletter
FOLLOW: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram