WATCH: Tribute to Fallen Inwood Firefighter

A dramatic tribute to a fallen firefighter was created as friends and loved ones of Joseph Sanford Jr. prepare to say their last goodbyes.

Sanford, an assistant fire chief and 17-year veteran of Inwood Fire Department, died last week after responding to a fire in Woodmere.

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The tribute video was posted to YouTube Saturday by Woodmere Fire Department and had nearly 4,000 views as of Sunday night. The video includes footage of the fire Sanford fought when he was critically injured and news footage of brother firefighters saluting him as he was transported from the hospital to the medical examiner’s office.

Sanford went into cardiac arrest on Dec. 19 after falling through the first floor of a Central Avenue home. He was rushed to the hospital and was listed in critical but stable condition but never regained consciousness. He was taken off a ventilator last week and passed away.

Sanford’s funeral is set for Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Inwood. A wake is scheduled for 1-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Tuesday.

A GoFundMe campaign was established in Sanford’s memory for his family. An outpouring of generosity from the community raised more than $27,000 in four days.

Photo via YouTube/Woodmere Fire Department

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