TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo and Springfield Township communities are still reeling over the sudden death of longtime firefighter and paramedic Sterling Rahe, known to many as "Butch."
Butch served an important role as the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department's public information officer, working closely with local media to keep the public safe and informed.
But to the members of TFRD and the Springfield Township Fire Department, where he had been appointed in 2000 and still served monthly shifts while also working in Toledo, he was so much more.
He's leaving behind a lasting legacy and it's never easy saying goodbye to a friend.
"Firefighter Sterling, who everyone referred to as 'Butch' Rahe, passed away unexpectedly on New Year's Day," Toledo Fire Chief Allison Armstrong said.
He's someone you may not know personally, but who has been in your home many times.
"Butch loved the fire service. He embodied and embraced the fire service. He was a fireman," Springfield Twp Fire Battalion Chief Andrew Sauder said.
To know Butch, was to know his heart. He cared deeply for our community and the people in it, Sauder said.
"He served the community of Springfield Township for over 30 years," Sauder said. "It's where he got his start in the fire service."
Rahe was still serving with Springfield Twp. Fire every third night at Station 56, according to Sauder.
"I've known Sterling for 23 years," Chief Armstrong said. "We actually got hired the same year but in two separate small classes that overlapped each other."
The word "firefighter" alone is not strong enough to embody who Butch truly was.
"Butch was just an amazing guy. Very committed. Motivated. Self-starter," Armstrong said. "He didn't need a lot of direction from me because he was well-established and good at his job."
That doesn't include the knowledge and leadership he would provide whether he was on or off the clock.
"He has helped shape so many countless firefighters' lives, both personally and professionally," Sauder said.
There's no way to describe the pain many are feeling at the loss of someone who has been a staple in their lives.
"You're trying to fill 30 years of knowledge and experience that's unfortunately left our department. How do you fill that? How do you fill the relationships that he built? I don't know that you can," Sauder said.
Chief Armstrong, too, said she doesn't know what the future looks like without him. But she knows for certain how important he was to Toledo.
"He was such an asset to the department, to the community. He just loved Toledo," Armstrong said. "He and I shared that love of the city."
Both departments say they are working with Rahe's family through this tough time.
For details about his visitation, memorial and last service, click here.