The BackStoppers is now assisting the family of Lt./Fire Marshal Ronald W. Wehlage, Jr., EOW 6/30/20.
Lt./Fire Marshal Ronald W. Wehlage, Jr. of the DeSoto Rural Fire Protection District suffered a fatal heart attack at home following his shift during which he completed a medical run.
Lt./Fire Marshal Wehlage was 40 years old. He served with the DeSoto Rural Fire Protection District for 17 years and had previously served with the Hillsboro Fire Protection District for 4 years.
Lt./Fire Marshal Wehlage was a member of the Firefighters Association of Missouri, the Jefferson County Firefighters, the Fire Marshals Association, the Professional Fire and Fraud Investigators Associate and the Ozark Firefighters Association.
Our deepest prayers and thoughts are with Lt./Fire Marshal’s family, friends, the DeSoto Rural Fire Protection District, the many communities he was a part of and the lives he touched. His life will always be honored and we will never forget Lt./Fire Marshal Wehlage’s sacrifice.
The BackStoppers assists approximately 80 families with 70 dependent children and has assisted over 170 families since 1959.
The BackStoppers’ assistance is immediate and ongoing. Following the death of a firefighter, his or her family receives a check for $10,000 to be used in whatever way they need.
Within a few weeks, our representatives meet with the surviving spouse to identify the family’s other financial obligations, eliminate the family’s debt, and provide ongoing support for education and other extraordinary expenses.
We recognize the tremendous sacrifices that public servants make every day when they go to work. We understand the burdens placed on surviving spouses and children when tragedies occur. We believe our community has an obligation to care for the loved ones of those who have protected us. We accept the responsibility to make that happen. Join us in our cause. Help us provide life-long support for families of fallen heroes by donating or joining online or by mail to the address below.
The BackStoppers, Inc.
PO Box 795168
Saint Louis, MO 63179-0700