Longtime Kentucky firefighter died in powerful storm while shielding his wife from danger

This undated photo released by the Laurel County Fire Department shows Laurel County Fire Department Maj. Leslie Leatherman. (Laurel County Fire Department via AP)

LONDON, Ky. — Kentucky firefighter Leslie Leatherman answered the call for help, rushing into harm’s way as he steadfastly did for decades, when a late-night tornado plowed through his community in the Appalachian foothills. It was his final act of selflessness, and the person he protected amid the chaos was his wife.

Leatherman was among 19 people killed in Kentucky when the storm struck late Friday into early Saturday, as people in the path awoke to a terrifying scene. Most victims were from Laurel County in southeastern Kentucky, where Leatherman was a longtime member of a volunteer fire department.

Leatherman, 57, died while shielding his wife, Michelle, from flying debris, said Terry Wattenbarger, deputy chief of the Laurel County Fire Department, where Leatherman served as a major. He was found on top of his wife, Wattenbarger said. Michelle Leatherman survived and was in critical condition Tuesday at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital in Lexington, a spokesperson said.

Wattenbarger said he thinks it happened right after the tornado had roared through, when winds were still strong enough to fling debris into the air. They were found in a field about 100 yards (91 meters) from their destroyed home.

“She was screaming,” Wattenbarger said in an interview Tuesday. “I’m sure he went ... to the first person he thought he could help. It just happened to be her.”

The tornado that hit Pulaski and Laurel counties carved a path of more than 55 miles (88 kilometers), according to the National Weather Service in Jackson, Kentucky. At its peak, the tornado grew to about a mile (1.6-kilometers-) wide and had winds up to 170 mph (274 kph).

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear paid tribute to Leatherman for his decades of public service while asking people to pray for the families of all those who died in the storm. The Democratic governor said Leatherman “died doing what first responders do every day – risking his own life for our safety.”

As the storm approached, Leatherman communicated he was ready to assist, Wattenbarger said. When a fire alarm sounded in his neighborhood, Leatherman indicated that he was responding. Soon after that, another firefighter confirmed the tornado was on the ground there and causing massive damage.

Emergency workers found the Leathermans early in the response but didn’t recognize them in the pitch-black dark, officials said. Leatherman was dead, and they tended to Michelle Leatherman. Leslie Leatherman’s location was recorded for later identification, and rescuers moved on to help other victims.

A short time later, authorities started searching for Leatherman after he failed to answer radio calls. Emergency responders returned to find his body and make the heartbreaking identification.

It was typical for Leatherman to rush into danger to protect others, said Wattenbarger, who struck up a lasting friendship with Leatherman when they were in high school together.

“His entire life, he’s been a dedicated public servant,” the deputy chief said. ”He had a huge heart. He loved his family more than anything … and just truly enjoyed life and was just a really good person.”

Leatherman, known fondly as Les, was a constant figure in emergency services for the region. He started as an emergency medical technician in Laurel County, then became an emergency dispatcher, first for Laurel County authorities and then for Kentucky State Police, Wattenbarger said.

Most recently, he served as assistant director for the 911 center in neighboring Whitley County.

“He was a very sincere man, very hard working, a very dedicated man,” said Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. “Somebody that younger people getting into emergency services in this region looked up to and looked to for guidance. He was a great mentor to many of them. We’re sure going to miss him.”

Leatherman also served as a fire rescue instructor. Brandon Wagers, a member of the London Fire Department and a fellow instructor, said Leatherman’s death will be felt throughout the region.

“He was a good person,” Wagers said. “He always had something good to say.”

One constant was Leatherman’s nearly 39 years of service as a firefighter. Leatherman “put his life’s blood and life’s work into being the best person and best responder he could be,” Wattenbarger said.

His death sent shock waves through the close-knit ranks of their fire department.

“We are surviving,” Wattenbarger said. ”That’s the only way we can describe it. People say ‘Are you all OK?’ No we’re not. We’re not OK. We’re surviving, though, because that’s what he would want. We want to honor his legacy as a department.”

Bruce Schreiner, The Associated Press