After battle with cancer & COVID-19, Zoneton fire Chief Robert Orkies dies
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Updated: 11:17 PM EST Dec 11, 2020
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Updated: 11:17 PM EST Dec 11, 2020
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COVID-19. >> HERE'S HOW HE'S BEING REMEMBERED. >> HOLDING HANDS AND COMFORTING ONE ANOTHER IN PRAYER THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE OUTSIDE LAURENS HOSPITAL IN ST. MATTHEWS ON FRIDAY AS LOVED ONES AND THOSE IN THE ZONETON FIRE DEPARTMENT LEARNED THAT THE CHIEF DIED AFTER BATTLING CANCER AND COVID-19. >> THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S DARKEST HOURS. WE'VE NEVER LOST A MEMBER BEFORE. >> THE DEPARTMENT SAYS HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER BACK IN SEPTEMBER, BUT DURING HIS CHEMO TREATMENT HE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. HE WAS HOOKED UP TO A VENTILATOR FOR MOR THAN A MONTH. >> MAYBE HE'S AROUND THE CORNER BUT THEN THE NEXT DAY THE NUMBERS WOULD GO DOWN REAL BAD. >> DESPITE HOURS AFTER HIS DEATH A PROCESSION SOON FOLLOWED AFTER HIS BODY WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. HE DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO PUBLIC SAFETY SERVING 36 YEARS. HE WAS ADORED BY THE COMMUNITY. >> HE WOULD GIVE YOU THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK AND HIS BAG. HE OPENED UP HIS HEART TO EVERYBODY. >> IT SHOWED. HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THE ANNUAL FIRE TRUCK TRADITION POPULAR IN THE AREA WHICH KICKED OFF LAST WEEK. >> ROB WAS SUCH A COMMUNITY ORIENTED PERSON. HE WOULD NOT WANT THAT TO STOP. >> HIS PRESENCE WILL NO DOUBT NOT BE FORGOTTEN BY THOSE WHO STOOD NEXT TO AND THOSE WHO SERVED. >> FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE YET FOR THE CHIEF BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT P