WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — Black fabric draped upon Wilkes County fire trucks as departments mourn the tragic death of two of their own.
"I've got two daughters myself and but I feel like I've, we've got 42 people on the roster. I feel like I've got 44 kids and you know that when you lose one it's hard," said Wilkesboro Fire Chief Jason Smithey.
Jenna Boles and Daniel Long died Tuesday on Caudill Road, according to the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office.
Responding deputies found Long conducting CPR on Boles who was shot. They say Long had stated multiple times that he "accidentally shot her" he then walked to his vehicle, pulled out a handgun and shot himself.
Smithey says the two were in a relationship.
"It's nice to see people grow up and do and you know come together as one and move through their life and that's what I hate to see with this, it's just you're not gonna get to see that, and you know I think they're probably together in my opinion, but I wish I could see it," said Smithey.
21-year-old Long was a firefighter with the Wilkesboro Fire Department for nearly three years. His co-worker Daniel Holt recalls what he'll miss the most.
"In this line of work, there are a lot of bad days that bad events, bad incidences, and you need that person that can lighten the mood and I think for a while it's gonna be hard to lighten the mood without him here," said Holt.
19-year-old Boles was a firefighter and EMT with the Ronda Fire Department.
Smithey says she was walking in her grandfather and father's footsteps who have a legacy of working in the same field.
"She had started at Ronda about five years ago in the fire service and had gotten her EMT about a year ago, I think it was and then started running calls. She was in the field going into the healthcare field, pursuing some education in that," said Smithey.
Smithey says Long was also in a transitional time in life, recently accepting a job with Forsyth County Communications.
As both departments mourn the loss of their team members, they'll never forget the memories they've shared.