Photos: Living Flame pays tribute to fallen heroes

In the past six months, Philly’s policemen and firefighters have lost two members in the line of duty: Lt. Joyce Craig, 37, who died fighting a fire on Dec. 9, and Sgt. Robert F. Wilson, 30, shot to death during a robbery on March 5.

On Wednesday, their surviving relatives were joined by hundreds of surviving family members of past fallen firefighters and police officers in paying tribute to the Living Flame in Franklin Park, a permanent tribute to those whose lives are lost in the line of duty.

“Thank you for allowing your daughter to serve with the fire department,” an emotional Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer told the family of Craig, who was posthumously promoted to Lieutenant, during the ceremony.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey told the surviving family members of Wilson, “We will always be here for you… You’re family now. You’re family forever.”

The Living Flame Memorial was installed in 1976, and a ceremony is held there every May in memory of the fallen officers and firefighters.