Wiping tears from her eyes, 10-year-old Ava Roy stood on stage at Worcester’s Mechanics Hall as the governor placed a medal around her neck.
She was accepting the award — a Medal of Honor — for her father, Christopher, a Worcester firefighter who died battling a house fire last December. As state leaders and firefighters from across Massachusetts gathered for the 30th annual Firefighter of the Year awards on Tuesday, they took an opportunity to honor and remember Christopher Roy for his dedication and sacrifice.