PG County Remembers Firefighter 'Skillet'

COLLEGE PARK, MD — It's been one year since Prince George's County firefighter John "Skillet" Ulmschneider answered his last call, but the pain remains for a community that remembered Skillet as a man with boundless energy and enthusiasm.

Ulmschneider died after being shot by a homeowner on April 15, 2016, while responding to a well-being check. The community received some closure to that traumatic event on Friday after the shooter was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with all but four years suspended.

Maranatha Fellowship Church in College Park held a blood drive on April 15, the one-year anniversary of Skillet's passing, and dozens showed up, according to a WTOP report.

The anniversary renewed the pain for many who remembered the positive influence Skillet had on everyone around him. They shared their stories recently on the "Celebration of John 'Skillet' Ulmschneider" Facebook page.

"One of my favorite memories of Skillet was like the engerizer bunny. He would come into the station early morning, full of energy that was unreal for 5:30 am. One night we all started watching the movie Crank. If you have ever seen it, you know the movie moves fast. After about 30 minutes Skillet gets up and says the movie moving so fast and he can't watch it. We all were stunned .... You mean there is something that moved faster than Skillet!!!" - Sharon Lynn Shoemaker

"Pound for pound one of the strongest people I've ever meet, farm boy strength if you know what I mean. Heart, I could speak pages, I don't even think he had acquaintances - he had friends (close ones and casual ones) and folks he hadn't meet yet. He'd give you the shirt off his back (slightly soiled of course, and likely down right dirty if he had to 'fix' something that day), the socks off his feet, and on a dare probably even his underwear. And the silly, stored under a rather precise amount of pressure, like one of those spring snakes (although real snakes were always better) in a can, just popped out and surprised you at the craziest time, often the perfect time." - Eric Reith

"Skillet had a way of doing serious and meaningful work in a way that always made people smile. You can fill in with your own stories, but we know he didn't just do something, he did it with a twist and particular Skillet flare. Never feigned, it was pure radiance of his joy and caring for others." - Jaimee Joroff

Image via YouCaring fundraising campaign page