New MI. Law Allows Kids Of Fallen Firefighters, Police Who Died In Line Of Duty Free College Tuition
(CBS DETROIT)- According to the US Fire Administration 78 firefighters have died in Michigan since 1990.
One of those fallen hero's Senior Firefighter Keion Boone.
"I remember we had really bad winters and we would hear people stuck outside, we would be in bed he would get dressed get up, we didn't even know these people, he didn't know them he would go help push them out the snow," said Valencia Boone, wife of fallen Senior Detroit Firefighter Keion Boone.
Valencia says her husband never met a stranger and would give anyone the shirt off his back.
Boone was a Senior firefighter with engine 44 in Detroit for 16 years and in 2017 he suddenly developed lung cancer.
"It was really aggressive and by the time we found out his diagnoses he was already at stage 4, I think he lived for four more months after that diagnoses, and he passed," Valencia Boone said.
He was only 39 years old, leaving behind Valencia and two children, 13-year-old Kamiah and 9-year-old Keion.
But like other fallen hero's in Michigan Boones death will not be in vain. Thanks to a newly passed House Bill.
"What my bill does is it simply removes the means test the 400% of the poverty line restriction and just makes it available to any child who has lost a parent in the line of duty, police officer, and firefighter," said State Senator Matt Koleszar who represents Michigan's 20th House District, which includes the cities of Northville and Plymouth, Northville and Plymouth Townships, and a portion of Canton.
Last week Governor Whitmer signed into law bill 4247 which gives 100% free tuition to the children, for any State or Community College.
With Valencia now having a 17 and 13-year-old, she says this is great news, maybe even a Christmas miracle.
"That's like a big weight off my shoulders and even though they don't realize it now, even for them," V. Boone said.
She says this is just another way they will honor firefighter Boone and have his memory live on.
"His smile it was just so contagious, his laugh," V. Boone said.
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