Andrew D. Bley was born March 3, 1991, in Vernon, Connecticut, to Cindy Champagne Bregoli and Kevin R. Bley. In 2005, the family moved to North Carolina. Andrew passed away in North Carolina on February 9, 2021, after a month-long fight with COVID pneumonia that was contracted on an emergency call.

Andrew was born into the emergency services, with his dad being a firefighter/paramedic, mom being an EMT, and his bonus dad being a firefighter/EMT.

Andrew started his career In Stafford Springs, Connecticut, as an MRT with Stafford Ambulance. When he moved to North Carolina, he wanted to join Mount Mourne Fire Department. Andrew had his grandfather take him up to join without asking his parents first. That’s when it all began. He was a firefighter/EMT With the Atwell Township Fire Department in China Grove, North Carolina, when he passed.

In his younger years, with his passion for the fire service, he knew every fire station and piece of apparatus in the area. When he was a young boy, Andrew would sit in front of the TV and watch episodes of Emergency like they were training videos. He studied how they did rescues and tactical detail. He didn’t just watch; he learned as well. Being a firefighter wasn’t just a job Andrew wanted to do some day. It was a life he was already part of. Andrew would attend training classes with his dad, who was a CPR instructor, and help with the class. He wouldn’t hesitate to jump in and help, whether it was setting up for training, helping others, or being a patient at a practical exam. He was there to help.

Andrew obtained many certifications as a firefighter, starting with 2008 Junior Firefighter of the Year with Mount Mourne Fire Department, his Firefighter 1and 2 certifications, then moving on to his EMT. He also completed HAZMAT operations, TR basic training, vehicle rescue, and agriculture rescue.

Andrew was passionate about the Junior Firefighter program and took new members under his wing to help train and mold the next generation of firefighters. He was the first to welcome them and let them know he was there to help them through the process.

Andrew loved his family and his fire department family and would give you the shirt off his back. He was very shy. He would be honored to know that he is being added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, but on the other hand, he would hate that he was the center of attention.

Andrew was a quiet, simple man and lived a life of service. He will always be remembered as that person.