LOS FRESNOS — Silus Sheldon’s first day of school Monday at Lopez-Riggins Elementary School will be one to remember as he was escorted to pre-kindergarten by Brownsville and Los Fresnos firefighters.
Silus’ father Derek Sheldon, who was a firefighter since he was 16 years old, died in February.
Derek did not want to miss a single important milestone in Silus’ life so in his honor, Derek’s fellow firefighters accompanied Silus’ mother Lalita Silva and other family members to his first day of school.
Firefighters lined up in the hallway and gave Silus high fives while Silva carried him in her arms.
“We’re very thankful and grateful (and) we’re very proud all the years my husband (Derek) gave to the fire department and to the community of Cameron County,” Silva said.
Silus’ uncles Jason and Jarrett, who are also firefighters for the past 16 years, were in the line waiting to give their nephew a high five and support him on his first day of school.
“My brother was really excited about milestones in his kid’s life,” Jason said. “We thought it would be important to be there for (Silus) because (Derek) would have wanted that.”
Silus’ grandfather Geronimo Sheldon has served as a firefighter as well for the past 47 years. Geronimo hopes that one day Silus will follow the family tradition of becoming a firefighter just like his father and uncles did.
“(Silus) was proud of his daddy, and he hopefully wants to be a firefighter,” Geronimo said.
Geronimo said the rest of the firefighters attended Silus’ first day of school because Derek was not only a fellow firefighter but he was a brother.
“They call it a brotherhood and (if) somebody needs something the rest of the firefighters are there to help him out,” Geronimo said.
