METAIRIE, La. — Monday, the Jefferson Parish Fire Department remembered their district chief who lost his battle against cancer.
Jimmy Schexnayder died in Houston while undergoing cancer treatment at MD Anderson. Monday afternoon first responders held a procession as his body was returned.
Jimmy Schnexnayder was a very special man. A friend of his and retired firefighter, Bruce Saltalamachia, said, "He would love to hug you and give you a kiss on the cheek and just say I love you man. That was his thing."
The 52-year-old lost his fight, battling lymphoma. Schnexnayder served as a firefighter for 33 years.
Lt. Michael Hux with the Jefferson Parish Fire Department said, "He was an instructor with LSU fire training school, so he's known all over the state. He was one of the founding members of our urban search and rescue team that was founded after Hurricane Katrina."
To those who knew him best, his personality was electric, "He truly was the guy. You come across him, you are having a bad day, you are walking away laughing hysterically, you are not in a bad mood anymore," said Lt. Hux.
The convoy traveled from Houston to Jimmy’s station, station 15 in Metairie, where fellow firefighters, his family, and the community grieved together.
Saltalamachia said, "It's always a dagger in the heart, you know, you lost a good guy, you know. Not only a good leader in fire service, but an instructor also to teach others, it's going to hurt everybody."
According to the department, Schnexnayder was set to retire at the end of the summer.
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