Community honors Rock Hill firefighter killed in York County collision

YORK COUNTY, S.C. — A funeral was held Tuesday for a Rock Hill firefighter who died on Dec. 23 in a collision on Highway 49 in York County.

Troopers said a Freightliner tractor-trailer driving south and a Chevy pickup truck going south on Highway 49 hit a tree that had fallen onto the highway. The tractor-trailer jackknifed and hit the Chevy, driven by 36-year-old firefighter David Campbell. The father of two died at the scene.

The collision happened south of Sharon, South Carolina, before 7 a.m.

Fire officials said Campbell was on his way to work at the time. He had been with the department for around eight years.

Community honors Campbell at funeral

Rock Hill Fire and Rescue Engine 6 was draped in black outside a Chester funeral home Tuesday.

Loved ones watched as those who served with Campbell hoisted his casket into the bed of the fire truck. It was the final ride for a man who lived to serve others.

Lynn Zigler was Campbell’s friend and watched Tuesday’s funeral procession to pay her respects.

“He was an amazing guy,” Zigler said. “I haven’t seen him in a while but the time that I did see him years ago, he was just a goofball. Very funny. (He) kept everybody laughing. Very devastating to the community to lose such a great guy.”

His co-workers shared a photo that they say described his personality perfectly.

“That’s the biggest thing that everyone is going to miss is David laughing, smiling and making jokes about something,” said Bobby Mobley, battalion chief. “He was well-loved by his peers at the fire department.”

‘Committed his life to serving others’

“David was a member of two different fire departments and two or three different EMS agencies and (served in) the military,” Mobley after Campbell’s death. “So David has committed his life to serving others, and we are where he would want us to be right now.”

Mobley said Campbell was adored by his fellow first responders.

“That’s the biggest (thing) that everyone is going to miss, is David laughing, smiling and making jokes about something,” Mobley said. “He was well-loved by his peers at the fire department.”

Campbell’s friends and co-workers said he was known for telling stories, many times at length.

“Whether we were in meetings or in training when David would walk up to the group, he was always smiling and had a story to tell,” Mobley said. “And if he had a story to tell you, you needed to have some time because he was going to take a long time to tell the story. But he always would.”

Those stories often were about his wife, Mandy, and two children, Raelyn and Ryker.

Campbell’s co-workers said his kids were his world and he let everyone know that.

Mandy, said, “David loved helping people but didn’t want any acknowledgment for it. David loved firefighting and emergency services in general, but his greatest love was his family. He was the best daddy to our two kids.”

Campbell’s celebration of life will begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Freedom Ministries in Chester.

Click here for Campbell’s obituary.

The highway patrol said it is still investigating the crash and no charges have been filed at this time.

This is a developing story. Check wsoctv.com for updates.

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