The sidewalk along Santa Cruz Avenue in Merced was lined up with dozens of people on Tuesday afternoon welcoming home a firefighter and “true hero” who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Clayton Ogden, a firefighter with the Santa Cruz Fire Department of more than 15 years, was escorted to his home from Doctors Medical Center in Modesto by fire and law enforcement agencies.
More than 100 family members, close friends, colleagues and neighbors cheered, waved banners and American flags as Ogden arrived to his Merced home of 23 years. Ogden, 47, and his family declined an interview and photographs.