San Diego remembers fallen firefighter

• The City of San Diego, San Diego and other Coastal Bend Firefighters gathered for Firefighter Matthew Sendejo's remembrance.
• Sendjeo passed away on July 12 in a vehicle accident.

Saturday, July 27, was a somber day in the City of San Diego as they said farewell to their fallen firefighter.

Firefighter Matthew Sendejo had been with the San Diego Volunteer Fire Department for nine years.

Sendejo passed away on July 12 after a vehicle accident on his way to work. According to Department of Public Safety Sgt. Harold Mallory, Sendejo was driving north on Highway 16 in McMullen County when his pickup traveled into the wrong lane crashing into a semi.

First responders along with Sendejo’s family and family paid tribute to Sendejo was they took him on once last ride in the fire truck. With sirens blaring, the town of San Diego stood still for a moment.

“It was the memorial for today for his passing. Not everybody being sad. To have his energy. We wanted his energy. Where he was always laughing. That’s what we did today. A lot of his memories just joking around," San Diego Fire Chief Juan Soliz said.

Sendejo was known as a jokester, but also as a someone who valued his family and his community.

There was one last call over the radio waves for firefighter 1840 and bagpipes signaling an end of Sendejo’s career as a firefighter.

For the latest local news updates, click here , or download the KRIS 6 News App.