It was a day of reflection and reverence; a day to honor fallen heroes at the City of Philadelphia’s annual Living Flame Memorial Service.  The special, yet somber  service was designed to acknowledge the sacrifices of Philadelphia police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty.   Several hundred people joined Mayor Kenney, Commissioner Ross and Commissioner Thiel to pay their respects at the memorial which bares the name of local deceased personnel. This year, three personnel were added to the roster memorializing the lives of Firefighter Gabriel G. Lee, and Police Officers Douglas Bamberger and Raymond Diaz, Jr.  All three died of job-related complications or injuries in 2016.  During the service, Mayor Kenney, Commissioner Ross and Commissioner Thiel greeted all of the families who have lost loved ones over the years as well as the families of Firefighter Lee and Officers Bamberger and Diaz.  A city photographer captured photographs during the memorial.

Firefighter Lee, 42, of Germantown, died last July after responding to several calls during the late shift. A graduate of Northeast High School and U.S. Army Operation Desert Storm veteran, he served nearly two decades in the Philadelphia Fire Department, including his final assignment at Platoon “C” at Ladder Company 12 in North Philadelphia. He was a well-respected member of Firefighters Local 22, where he was honored with its “Distinguished Service Award.” Firefighter Lee was known in his community as an upstanding, religious and generous man. He also was an accomplished amateur boxer. He is survived by his wife, Taisha, and children Eric, Gabrielle and Chase.

Police Officer Bamberger, 42, of the Mayfair section of Northeast Philadelphia, died of a heart attack in October while on duty at the Criminal Justice Center as a member of the department’s Court Liaison Unit. He spent 16 years on the force. Officer Bamberger entered the Philadelphia Police Department Academy in 2000 and was assigned to the 25th District in North Philadelphia. His later was assigned to First District in South Philadelphia, and then 12 years later to the Court Liaison Unit in 2014. He received two commendations. A graduate of the North Catholic High School, Officer Bamberger is survived by his wife, Dawn, and two Daughters, Madison and Abigail.

Police Officer Diaz, 47, a resident of Holmesburg in Northeast Philadelphia, served his entire 20-year career in the 24th Police District in North Philly. He died in September after complications from a prior on-duty-related vehicular accident. A graduate of the Brockton High School in Brockton, Mass, Officer Diaz is survived by his wife, Megan, daughters Marissa, Nicole and Jasmin, and two sons, Raymond, Jr., Alexander, and Joshua.