John Patrick Hager was born in Denver, Colorado in 1953. He enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17 where he attained the rank of Second-Class Petty Officer and specialized in underwater photography. After his service, he became a journeyman electrician with the Denver Water Department and married Sharon in 1980. He then joined Castlewood Fire Protection District in 1981 and became a father to John Patrick Jr. (J.P.). His second son, Brett Joseph, was born in 1984. John loved everything about being a firefighter, from serving his community to the camaraderie among his firefighting brethren. His family and friends were always the most important things in John’s world and would drop everything for someone in need. He was a man of many talents as a part-time general contractor as well as an avid sportsman with a love of fishing, skiing, and golf. John lost his life in a structure fire on September 10, 1989. His death shaped change within the department of response protocols that are still in place today.