Off-duty Olathe firefighter dies in motor vehicle crash while traveling in Colorado
An Olathe firefighter was killed in a crash this weekend while he was traveling in Colorado, the Olathe Fire Department announced on Twitter.
Joe Messina, who was also a member of the Missouri Army National Guard, was off-duty when the crash happened.
“Today, our hearts are heavy as we feel the loss of one of our own,” the Olathe Fire Department said on Facebook. “While off-duty and traveling in Colorado, Firefighter Joe Messina tragically lost his life in a motor vehicle accident.”
The department said its prayers and thoughts were with Messina’s wife, family, friends and fellow firefighters and soldiers.
In a post on Facebook, Messina’s mother, Cyndi Neitzke Messina, wrote, “my heart is shattered,” and that she “can’t imagine life without him.”
“My dear sweet, crazy boy was taken from this world way too early today in a car accident in Colorado,” she wrote in a post Sunday night. “He had a huge heart and a sense of service that made me so very proud... My heart is shattered into a million pieces. Joe never met a person he didn’t convert to a friend. I love him so very much and can’t imagine life without him.
“Please keep Joe, us, and especially Michelle in your prayers. The outpouring of love from his army unit, his brothers at the fire department, and his Delta Chi brothers are amazing. I have no words.”
In her post, his mother said that Messina’s wife, Michelle Messina, was with him during the accident. She said Michelle Messina “will be fine,” and is at a hospital in Denver.
