CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Friends, family, and fellow firefighters paid tribute on Saturday to a beloved Chesterfield Fire Captain who lost his life nearly one year ago.
Capt. Jason Ware — a 20-year veteran of the Chesterfield Fire Department — lost his life after another driver crossed over a yellow line the morning of Aug. 11, 2023. Ware was driving to work at Chesterfield Fire Station 1 in Chester when his vehicle was hit head-on.
“A special, special guy," said Kenny Mitchell, a retired Chesterfield firefighter who was close with Ware over their decade-plus working together.
Remembered within the fire department as a caring, passionate leader, Mitchell said Ware cared deeply for the community he served for a large portion of his fire career: Chester — particularly when he got to meet with folks in the community.
WATCH: Memorial walk will honor Chesterfield fire captain: 'He was a special guy'
Mitchell, along with many other friends and colleagues, honored Ware with a memorial walk at Three Leg Run Brewery in Chester.
They met in the parking lot at 4418 W Hundred Rd in Chester and then walked to the neighborhood Ware would regularly run in during his time serving at Fire Station 1.
"We're going to go right behind here, where he used to love to run and jog, and we're going to walk and run and jog and talk," Mitchell said. "There will be some tears and some smiles and some hugs. We're going to come back here to Three Leg Run... We're just going to try to smile and remember him."
Proceeds from the lunch event that followed were donated to Ware's family — his two daughters and wife.
"It's really good to see people that I know, people that Jason knew," Krystal Ware said. "And then other people who didn't even really know him. They were just in the field and wanted to show their support. So it's humbling, really nice."
Mitchell said the event's primary goal was to "smile" and "remember" Ware.
"It's just a day of remembering rather than hiding in our houses like we want to do and grieve," Mitchell said. "We have to live for him. That's what he would want."
The brewery also donated some of its proceeds from today to Operation Yellow Tape in memory of Ware.
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