After battle with cancer & COVID-19, Zoneton fire Chief Robert Orkies dies Share Updated: 11:17 PM EST Dec 11, 2020 Share Updated: 11:17 PM EST Dec 11, 2020
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Show Transcript 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 T