Midlothian's Jason Horne Receives 'Hero of Honor' Medal

A boy reached up to place a medal around the neck of a firefighter who had bowed his head to receive it. A uniformed chief stood behind them applauding, with rows of American flags lining the stage and Times Square's giant screens glowing above. The moment, shown in an NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth segment, was one of 19 "Hero of Honor" presentations by the First Responders Children's Foundation on Oct. 28.

The Midlothian Fire Department's Firefighter Jason Horne received the Firefighter Hero Award at the foundation's seventh annual National First Responders Day "Roll Call of Heroes" ceremony. The event was presented by T-Mobile and hosted by Jon Stewart. The ceremony recognized firefighters, EMS, 911 dispatchers, local and federal law enforcement, volunteer and junior first responders, and a collective natural disaster response. For the first time, the foundation accepted public nominations, so people across the country could point to the first responders who had made an extraordinary difference in their communities.

The medals were presented by three children of fallen NYPD Officer Robert Sivori, which gave the ceremony its emotional weight. The foundation was created after the Sept. 11 attacks, when around 800 children lost a first responder parent, and it now supports the children and families of first responders through scholarships, financial assistance, mental health services and disaster relief. This year's event came 25 years after 9/11, and an award recognized the advocates who pushed Congress to fund the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

Horne's fellow honorees came from across the country, including a paramedic from Colorado, a volunteer firefighter from West Virginia, a 911 dispatcher from Florida and a junior responder from California. A group of Spokane-area fire and sheriff's leaders was recognized for collective natural disaster response. The foundation also gave Community Hero Awards to New York agencies, and 37 states issued proclamations declaring Oct. 28 National First Responders Day.

The materials I found don't spell out what Horne did to earn his medal, so that part of his story remains for the local coverage to tell. What the ceremony made clear is how the foundation sees its mission: honoring the person in uniform, and also the children and families who share the sacrifice. As Foundation President and CEO Jillian Crane put it, the promise is "never forget, and never leave a first responder family behind."