Community gathers outside Fire Station No. 42 to honor Graham Hoffman

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Around 100 people gathered outside KCFD Station No. 42 to honor the life of Graham Hoffman. The group gathered as Hoffman’s funeral procession drove him past his workplace for the final time.

Many in attendance lived in the neighborhood or had personal connections to Hoffman. All were gathered to grieve a life taken too soon.

“It just puts life in perspective for you,” said Shelby Lyon, a former firefighter in Boone County. “You can’t promise tomorrow, and you never know what’s going to happen. They were just in an ambulance transporting someone and he got stabbed. It just shouldn’t happen.’

Many who came out to witness the procession wanted to show for Hoffman, his family, and KCFD.

BLOG: Funeral service for KCFD paramedic Graham Hoffman

“We don’t know what can happen in an instant. This young man was just serving our community, and a very tragic event occurred to him,” said Claudia Smith, who has lived in the area 30 years. “My heart goes out to his family because this is just something unexpected. He was coming to work to serve.”

One man in attendance even had his life saved by Hoffman. The man told us Hoffman was cool in the moment and the only reason he is still alive.

“He told me, he said, ‘I want you to remain calm.’ He said, ‘I’m going to take good care of you.’ I asked him if I was going to die, he said ‘no,’” said Michael Perry, who had a heart attack. “He was an excellent guy. He definitely saved my life because my wife is disabled. Without him, I probably would not have been here today.”

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