COLLEGE PARK, Md. — On Saturday, the one-year anniversary of a local firefighter’s death, dozens of people turned out to a College Park church to donate blood.
Prince George’s County firefighter John “Skillet” Ulmschneider was responding to a well-being check call April 15, 2016. When he and his fellow first responders got to the house, they were shot by the homeowner — the subject of the welfare check.
Ulmscheider would die from his wounds. Another firefighter and the shooter’s brother were also shot, but survived.
The shooter was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison with all but four years suspended for a gun charge in connection to the shooting.
After the shooting, Maranatha Fellowship Church in College Park planned to do a blood drive in honor of Ulmschneider.
“It just so happened that the pastor wants to do a blood drive on a Saturday, and I started looking back in February, and the first Saturday I could get is April 15,” said Sherry Clevenger, the event’s organizer.
“He fell a year ago, April 15. That’s why we are here, to honor him.”
Prince George’s County Fire spokesman Mark Brady was among the donors waiting to give blood.
“Giving blood is always a good thing. People often ask what we can do to help, what can we do to grieve, what can we do to bring some closure,” Brady said.
Brady said the church came to him earlier in the year about doing a blood drive in honor of a firefighter of the department’s choosing.
It chose to honor Ulmschneider.
