Widower Responds to Union Speculation Over Firefighter's Suicide

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- Steve Mittendorff, widow of the Fairfax County firefighter that committed suicide last year, has sharply responded to the firefighter's union statement about the tragedy.

The Fairfax County Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics union had responded to a new anonymous report surfaced of a supervisor who condoned bullying to families of recent recruits, WTOP reported. The statement mentioned Nicole Mittendorff's suicide last year, which launched the original investigation into harassment and bullying within the Fairfax County Fire Department.

In a statement, the union said, "This suicide was NOT a result of any type of harassment or bullying occurring within the FCFRD workplace. This tragic suicide was a culmination of life events, personal struggles and factors outside the FCFRD that family, friends, and co-workers were untrained to recognize and unaware of at the time – quite frankly, many of our members’ and co-workers were unaware of her tumultuous personal situation."

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Steve Mittendorff responded in a statement shared with WTOP, “The decision to take her life was her decision and a personal one, for which the Local 2068 is not authorized to speak on. This media release (by the fire union) only compounds the grief our family experiences and prevents us from healing.”

Last year, Fire Chief Richard Bowers investigated bullying and harassment after becoming aware of online comments allegedly posted by firefighters about Nicole Mittendorff. Months after the comments surfaced, the 31-year-old firefighter's body was found at Shenandoah National Park along with a note in her car. A year later, Bowers said investigators could not find out who posted the comments.

The union's president, John Niemiec, told WTOP he spoke with Steve Mittendorff. “He had some concerns about the wording, so we did end up changing it,” said Niemiec. “We’re just trying to be sensitive.”

View the full union statement here.

Image courtesy of Find Nicole Facebook page/Fairfax County Fire and Rescue