Now that things are starting to settle down just a tiny bit (still SO very much to take care of in the coming weeks), I just wanted to tell everyone how much we appreciate all who came from near and far to attend dad’s service in person and watched online Saturday. Thank-you to all that have sent flowers and meals, made donations, that have called to check on mom, and provided support to our entire family since dad was hospitalized on August 13th.

Saturday September 11th was an absolutely beautiful service for dad and all that he was to his core, along with the 343. Scott’s eulogy was spot on and I am so proud of him for having the courage to do something so incredibly hard. There is absolutely no way any one of our family or dad's friends could have stood up there and given such an amazing tribute to a life well-lived.

Dad’s Caring Bridge page has had over 6,300 visits. His funeral has been watched online by over 1,000 people. Simply unbelievable. His impact far and wide across the United States. Who knew?  And...he is actually still saving lives, even in death. The AFD Chaplain has done many funerals over his time on the department and he figured there was around 500 people in attendance....likely the largest funeral he has ever been a part of planning. There's not one single thing that could have been better to honor such a great man. I think the most humbling part for me was that the Honor Guard asked his 5 grandkids to join him on his final ride. It has never been done before. What an honor for our family. 555. If you know, you know. If you didn't have a chance to watch or attend his service, Boxwell Brothers did a live stream.
John Segedy Service 9/11/2021

I can't begin to tell you just how much we appreciate all that were involved in putting dad's service together with ease for our family.
**Brad Boxwell and Blakely Boxwell Stephens of Boxwell Brothers. This is the 5th funeral we have planned with them (yes 5...Bob's mom, step-mom, uncle, dad and now my dad) and I can't recommend them enough. We appreciate them, but hope we don't have to see them for a very long time.
**Pastor Jordan Kreisle and Pastor Brian Gibson from His Church
**My Uncle Mike Holly of Unchained Prison Ministries
**Amarillo Fire Department
Chaplain Bryan Van Meter
Captain Jeff Spangler
LT Jose Garcia
Ret. LT Tony Robinson
Chaplain Marshall Stallwitz
AFD Honor Guard
AFD Pipes and Drums
**Amarillo Police Department off-duty officers, as well as the on-duty ones that hopped in to help as we passed them traveling from the church at Arden & Bell alllll the way to Memorial Park at I40 & Whitaker with 5 grandkids hanging on to the antique firetruck down the streets of Amarillo while they escorted their Grampa to his final resting place.

Dad's presence is missed more than words and each day brings it’s own challenges without him here with us. It still very much seems surreal. We are all doing our best to figure out how to do life without him. Please show us grace as we go forward, especially as we implement changes that need to happen.  And as my mom tries to figure out how to be a widow.  It is impossible right now to figure out how to do life without his guidance and protection, strength and knowledge of so many things in this world. But throughout our lives, he taught us perseverance and how to overcome obstacles in life. He always held the line for SO many of us, friends, family and strangers alike. He taught us life lessons whether we wanted them or not. We should all strive to have the same impact and influence in our communities that dad did (along with all of these amazing firefighters). We have incredibly big shoes to fill. I refuse to let his death be in vain and will do my best to continue to help families in need in the Texas Panhandle and save lives to the best of my ability.

 

We have a God that loves us and we just have to trust that He has a plan for each of us in all of this mess as we grieve for such an influential man of this family and of this community. I implore each of you to dig deep and draw your inner Johnny as you deal with the problems and circumstances that each of you face every day. Draw from his strength, courage and determination, his dependability and reliability. Be helpful to those that you love and strangers alike. I can’t think of a better legacy that he left behind.

Our new family motto is WWJD...What Would Johnny Do?

 

“This is what we do, This is who we are, This is our calling.” Lt. Jose Garcia