GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Green Bay Metro Fire is doing what they can to ease the pain and burden felt by the Appleton Fire Department following the loss of one of their own.
The early stages of grief are the hardest part in the entire healing process, according to Rob Goplin, Assistant Fire Chief with Green Bay Metro Fire.
“Where you’re kind of figuring out what all happened and sorting out through the feelings that you have,” he explains. “You know, our hearts just go out to them.”
He says there’s nothing they could hope to do to completely heal that pain following the tragic loss of 14-year-veteran Mitch Lundgaard in a shooting Wednesday night.
With that being said, when the news broke, the department immediately jumped at the chance to do something.
“The night that the incident happened we sent two of our Chaplin’s from Green Bay to assist their Chaplin,” says Goplin. “They worked with the crews and gave them the opportunity to talk and work through some things.”
It’s a small, but important gesture.
“It’s a great thing to be able to share that with a department in need,” he says.
The outpouring of community support that Appleton is receiving is something that Green Bay is familiar with.
“With our experiences here in Green Bay, we can relate at least to what they’re going through and it’s certainly a difficult time for them,” says Goplin. “So our heart goes out to them.”
On Friday, Governor Tony Evers ordered flags in Wisconsin to fly at half-staff in honor of Lundgaard.
The Governor wrote in a tweet:
“Today, I ordered flags to be flown at half-staff to honor Appleton Fire Department firefighter Mitchell F. Lundgaard who died in the line of duty Wednesday. I join the Fox River Valley and people across our state in mourning the loss of a life dedicated to public service.”
The visitation for Lundgaard is set for Monday afternoon from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Appleton Alliance Church.
Additionally, a fundraiser has been set up to support Lundgaard’s family.
