On the afternoon of May 25, Tyler R. Storicks died after an SUV crossed into the path of his motorcycle near Edinboro and Hershey roads in Summit Township.

“Tyler was a ball of energy,” said Fairfield Hose Co. Second Assistant Chief Nick Kuchcinski. “He always kept things light, always a smile or a practical joke; he was a loving guy, fiercely loyal to his family”

A prayer service was held at 10:15 a.m. Saturday at Duskas Funeral Home on Buffalo Road, followed by a firefighter procession to the funeral mass at Our Lady of Mercy Church at 11 a.m. Following the Mass, family and friends gathered at the Fairfield fire house.

Onlookers who saw trucks from 15 fire companies line up for the procession said it was a very moving experience. “At first, I didn’t know what was going on,” said an employee at the U-Haul on Buffalo Road. “But to see all of those first responders paying tribute to one of their own brought tears to my eyes.”

Vehicles from 15 fire companies took part in the procession to honor Tyler Storicks, who was killed in a motorcycle accident on Memorial Day.

Fellow firefighters were equally moved by the experience. Several remarked that seeing the outpouring of support from so many companies was very emotional, and it reminded them that first responders are a tight-knit community.

Storicks was a fifth-generation firefighter and more than six members of his family are currently part of the Fairfield Hose Company, Kuchcinski said. “He was a probationary firefighter; he was 20 and hadn’t received his EMT yet. He was an orange shield, following a long tradition in the fire service.”

Zane Thomas, Supervisor at the Pro Shop at Peek’n Peak Resort and Golf Course, had been training Storick for that department, but had also worked with him in winter at the rental department. “He was a good kid and a hard worker,” Thomas said. “He picked things up quickly; he was an independent worker and he was chatty and pleasant to talk to.”

Kuchcinski summed up his remarks by saying that Stokick was a very special person. “I know it sounds cliched, but he was just one of those really good kids – played hard, worked hard, when he devoted himself to a project he put his whole self into it,” he said. “He was a wonderful kid, it was a wonderful young life that was tragically cut way too short.”