The Framingham Fire Department lost a longtime member on Wednesday when Deputy Chief Brad Smith died after a battle with cancer.
Smith, a 32-year member of the department, was diagnosed in January with advanced bone and stomach cancer, according to the Local 1652 firefighters union. Smith entered hospice care in late March.
The union said that Smith recently got engaged, was a father of two children, and "one of the most well liked members of the department." Smith also traveled to New York City after the Sept. 11 attacks as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency team.
"Deputy Smith has continually sought to improve his knowledge of the fire service, the many accreditations and certifications he has attained show his dedication, and ultimately serving the citizens of Framingham," the union wrote on a GoFundMe fundraiser page on March 22.