By Leila Merrill
DURANGO, Colo. — Hundreds of people gathered Tuesday at Fort Lewis College to celebrate the life of Leo Lloyd, 60, a longtime Durango Emergency Medical Services captain, the Durango Herald reported.
The 600-seat Concert Hall could not contain all the people who wanted to attend. Some watched a livestream at the college’s Center of Southwest Studies next door. Hundreds tuned in online.
The Durango Fire Protection District lost Lloyd on Aug. 4 and then Scott Gallagher, a fire training captain, on Aug. 7.
Leo Lloyd “was passionate about the outdoors and his career as a first responder,” his wife, Susie Lloyd, said at the service.
Former Durango Fire Chief Dan Noonan said he watched Lloyd mature in multiple jobs, including being a paramedic, a nurse and a low-angle/high-angle rescue technician. He shared stories of how Leo would teach and mentor.
“The hiring of Leo Lloyd was one of my most proud moments,” he said.
Durango Fire Protection District EMS Chief Scott Sholes spoke about his almost 40 years of friendship with Lloyd and their outdoor activities such as biking, backcountry skiing and climbing.
“Like Yoda, Leo had developed a unique mentoring ability, not to just increase your knowledge and develop your competency but to instill a sort of confidence that moved your proficiency to second nature,” Sholes said.
Helicopters did a flyover in his honor that afternoon.