Huntersville community mourns the loss of veteran firefighter

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) — It was a somber day in Huntersville as family and friends said goodbye to veteran firefighter, Jeff Hager.

“The raindrops are the tears of Jeff. The tears of a man who misses his family, his lovely wife, Amee.”

This somber, gloomy Tuesday, family and friends said goodbye to a man who always seemed to make things better.

Jeff Hager was a firefighter for Charlotte and Huntersville for more than 20 years. He and his wife Amee lost their fights with COVID-19.

“Not only have you lost two souls,” said one speaker at today’s funeral, “These young children have lost something that is priceless: A mother and a father.’

The pews of Grace Covenant Church filled with people mourning the loss of a person they called a humble hero.

“He would give you an honest opinion warranted or not. This was a huge commodity,” one person said.

He was a great firefighter.

“Great firefighters like Jeff don’t go to hell because the devil’s afraid he might put it out,” one speaker said with a laugh.

He was a great father.

One friend said, “Jeff was one of the finest dads and husbands I’ve ever run across in my entire life.”

Hager sometimes worked 100 hours a week to provide for his family.

“Making sure his family had not only what they needed, but in many cases what they wanted.”

He was a also described as a great friend.

“We often thought of Jeff like a therapy dog,” said Bill Suthard, Huntersville Fire PIO. “Jeff had an uncanny ability to identify people that just needed some extra love and some help.”

“He didn’t just tell you, ‘Hey, it looks like you need some help.’ He would just show up,” said one family member.

Fire stations from across the Charlotte area joined the procession through Huntersville to honor a man who was always there for everyone else.

Tonight, everyone is thinking and praying for the couple’s four children.