Firefighter Ricky Telles was born in 1974 in Phoenix, Arizona. Hired for the Phoenix Fire Department Class of 2006-4, he served with the department for 12 years. He battled occupational esophageal cancer caused by cumulative exposures and was 44 years old when he died of the disease on January 17, 2019. He loved his job as a firefighter and always spoke so positively about the job.

Ricky enjoyed playing and watching sports, especially soccer.

Before getting hired, Ricky worked in the fire sprinkler business and with the Buckeye Arizona Fire Department. While on the job he was involved in many activities, and the one that was most special to him was the Arizona Burn Foundation and Burn Camp.

While on the job, he married Crystal McBratney and, at the time of his death, his three children were still quite young.

Ricky, as he was also known on the fire department, worked at Station 5, mostly on Engine 905, a “move up” truck assigned to downtown and then sent system-wide to wherever needed to cover fire stations that were overloaded or on campaign fires or complex calls.

Rick was given a line-of-duty death funeral service, and he takes his place at the Bell Tower of the Firefighters Cemetery section in Greenwood Memory Lawn in Phoenix.

Rick was very active with his family. He is survived by his wife, Crystal; daughters, Kailey, Harper, and Aubryn; sons, Keller and Clifford; two brothers and one stepbrother; three stepsisters; his father, Rick; his mother, Debbie; his stepmother, Deb; two granddaughters; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles.

He had an infectious smile and contagious laughter. He is greatly missed by so many.