Michael Kelly II - Firefighter - California

Michael Patrick Kelly II, age 32, died on November 16, 2013, on a road in Yuba County, California.

Mike was employed as a firefighter assigned to the “Hotshots” firefighting crew for the United States Forest Service, stationed in Camptonville, Yuba County.

At about 1:10 a.m., a vehicle driven by Andrew Gruenberg, age 26, from San Diego, with six passengers in the vehicle, tragically ran over Michael Kelly.

The driver and the passengers are all "Hotshots" firefighters.

It is believed that Michael was lying in the roadway when the accident occurred. Alcohol may have been a factor but is not determined as of this posting.

Michael suffered major trauma to the head and torso and passed away at the scene.

The incident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

Florian, Patron Saint of
Firefighters, pray for Mike

Firefighting officials stated that Mike's death is not only tragic for his family but for the Tahoe National Forest firefighting community.

He had joined the Forest Service as a permanent employee in 2003 and had been a Tahoe National Forest employee since 2008.

He worked in many capacities during his career in the Forest Service, serving as a firefighter on fire engines, as a smoke jumper and a squad boss on a “hot shot” crew.

Mike is survived by many loving friends and relatives.

Pray for all who die by misadventure. They are with us one moment and gone the next. Amen.

Pray that Mike is in heaven. Pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.