“I’d rather die in my boots than live in a suit.” Robert Caldwell lived by these words and was always a man true to his word. He died with honor, with his brothers, in the line of duty with his boots tight on his feet. Compassionate, sensitive, and never afraid to show his true emotions to those he loved and held close to his heart, Robert was unquestionably the most amazing husband, son, brother, father, and friend. He is survived by his wife, Claire; son, Zion; his mother and father, Dave and Linda Caldwell; and his sister, Taylor Caldwell.
His wife, Claire, says, “I am fortunate to be Robert’s wife. While I didn’t have him in my life long enough, each moment that we shared was a blessing. The night we met, we knew it in our hearts that we were soul mates. We had known each other for a thousand years before and would know each other for another thousand years. Robert was the kind of man every man strives to be—he was the husband every woman dreams of and a father a child could look up to. We were all so blessed to have him in our lives, and I will carry him in my heart for the rest of my life. There simply aren’t enough words to explain the love and gratitude I feel for him.”
June 2020. On this, the 7th year anniversary of the Granite Mountain Hotshots deaths, know that their Firefighter Family will never forget these 19 men.
– Lisa Hopman