Baseball Tournament Honors Fallen US Forest Service Firefighter

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On October 26, 2006 five U.S. Forest Service Firefighters were killed while battling the Esperanza Fire.  Three years later, the family of one of the firefighters, Engineer Jess McLean, is keeping their memory alive and helping other aspiring first responders through a charity baseball game.

Jess McLean, Mark Loutzenhiser, Jason McKay, Daniel Hoover-Najera and Pablo Cerda made made up the crew of Engine 57 that fateful day.  The men were overcome with flames while trying to defend a property during the fire that was later determined to be arson.

Jess McLean's older brother, Josh McLean, started a memorial baseball tournament in 2008 to pay tribute to his brother and to raise money for a scholarship fund to help men and women studying to become firefighters and law enforcement officers.  The tournament, in its second year, drew 43 teams from as far away as Nevada, and was held in Beaumont, California.  The city has dedicated one of its baseball fields, Field 6, to McLean, naming it the "Jess McLean Memorial Field."

Remembering his younger brother, Josh McLean says, "He was a family man.  He was married, had a wife.  He was a good son, took care of my father when he died of cancer."

McLean's mother, Ceal, remembers the night they learned of Jess' death. "We were sitting in the living room, and all of a sudden the lights just went off, and they were off for about 30 seconds.  Then they just came back on, and I knew it was Jess saying he was ok."

Earlier this year, Raymond Lee Oyler, a former Beaumont mechanic, was found guilty of arson and murder for setting the deadly Esperanza Fire.  He was issued the death penalty.  At the time of the trial and sentencing the McLean's did not want to speak with the media.  With the passing of time, they are now opening up about their feelings towards the man who caused their son and brother's death.

Josh McLean says, "Mr. Oyler is where he belongs.  I'll be there the day they put Mr. Oyler to death."  Echoing her sons sentiments, Ceal McLean says of Oyler, "He made it obvious during the trial that he doesn't care.  I'm done with him."

The McLean's plan to organize the baseball tournament every year to keep Jess and his fellow firefighters' memories alive and to help others working to become first responders.

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Author:Crystal Chessher - FDNNTV.com