JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The funeral arrangements for a Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department engineer who died last week trying to rescue a woman have been finalized.
Michael Freeland was working at the scene of a traffic crash around 1 a.m. on Nov. 11. He was trying to rescue a person from the crash when he collapsed and later died.
“He’s a loving guy, always in a positive attitude," Darius Holsey described Freeland, his cousin and fellow firefighter said. "Everybody loved him,"
A public viewing for Freeland will be Friday at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church between 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The funeral will be Saturday at the church beginning at 11 a.m.
It is unclear if the funeral will be open to the public. However, he will have a full JFRD escort from the funeral to the cemetery.
On Monday, several firefighters showed their support for Freeland's family during a tribute run.
“It means so much to us, because Michael is our hero. And just to know that people outside of just the Jacksonville community are coming together to celebrate his life and what he sacrificed means so much to us," Freeland's cousin Lakeshia Holsey said. "We’re proud of what he’s done for the community. We’re proud that he saved so many lives.”