"If you call a first responder, they're going to come for you. Doesn't matter who you are. They're going to come for you."
Those are the sentiments of Amy Shearer, the older sister of firefighter Bradley Long.
Bradley died June 6th, 2016 when he and another firefighter rescue diver went into Lake Norman to recover a missing man.
What happened that day is still under investigation. His family doesn’t want to talk specifics until the investigation is closed. But they do what you to take a moment to meet their son and brother and understand the critical role first responders play in our lives. They sat down exclusively with Anchor Molly Grantham.
“He was living his dream to be a firefighter,” Amy said. “He was doing what he wanted to do with his life.”
Bradley never knew anything except public service. The Long family has given their lives to giving back.
Father Jerry Long was a firefighter for 25 years and rescue diver for 12. Bradley's older brother Chad was military, then a police officer and is now a Lincoln County Sheriff's deputy.
Sister Amy works in the medical field and mom Signora is a mail carrier.
So it really meant something to Amy when she pointed out how men and women in this field -- police, fire, medic, dispatchers -- work tough jobs for little pay and often get zero thanks.