LIBERTY, Mo. — Liberty firefighter and paramedic Steve Sanneman died in the line of duty Sunday after a five-week battle with pancreatic cancer at 52 years old.
According to a Facebook post from the City of Liberty, the fallen first responder's death was recognized as a line-of-duty death because his cancer diagnosis was determined to be a result of his profession.
"Steve served the Liberty community with honor, bravery and integrity for 20 years,” Liberty Fire Chief John Mills said in a statement. “The Liberty Fire Department family surrounded Steve and the Sanneman family with love and support over the last few weeks since his diagnosis, spending as much time as possible keeping Steve in good spirits.”
Sanneman was a native of St. Louis and a graduate of St. John Vianney High School in Kirkwood, according to the Missouri Fire Service Funeral Assistance Team. He served in St. Louis for 10 years before serving another two decades in the Kansas City area.
"Sandman" was a pediatric advanced life support instructor and received a Medal of Valor from the governor. Outside of his service at the Liberty Fire Department, he "was dedicated to providing peer support counseling, specifically focusing on PTSD in first responders," the Missouri First Service Funeral Assistance Team said.
“Steve absolutely loved being a firefighter and paramedic, and was a role model to many in the Fire Department,” Liberty City Administrator Curt Wenson said in a statement. “He was always professional and always sincere; we will miss seeing his genuine smile and signature handlebar mustache.”
A visitation is scheduled from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, 1600 Route 291 in Liberty, and a funeral service will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday at the church. Following the funeral, a procession will leave Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, drive past Fire Station 3 and on to New Hope Cemetery, located at 101 East Kansas St., for graveside service with full firefighter honors.
This marks the third line-of-duty death for Missouri first responders in one week. A firefighter with the Boone County Fire Protection District drowned Monday morning while conducting a water rescue in Columbia, and a firefighter with the Affton Fire Department was found dead in the firehouse Tuesday after completing several emergency responses that day.
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