NEW HAVEN, Conn. — New Haven Firefighters laid their fellow member, 27-year-old Thomas Mieles, to rest on Tuesday.
The funeral took place at St. Francis Church on Ferry St. The burial happened shortly after at All Saints Cemetery in North Haven. It was a somber and solemn day for the department, according to New Haven Mayor, Justin Elicker.
"It’s just awful. I can’t imagine what the family is going through and to lose your son at 27 years old," Elicker said.
Mieles just joined the New Haven Fire Department back in January, fulfilling a long-time dream of his.
“Thomas grew up in this community. Served not too far from this place. It was his pride to be able to protect his community," said Chief John Alston, with the New Haven Fire Dept.
Mieles was off-duty earlier this month when he was killed in a multi-car crash on I-91. He leaves behind a fiancé, brothers, parents, and more. His home away from home was at the Lombard Fire Station, where he served for less than a year.
“I had to be able to do some big girl things and come out here because I know that if it was my son, I would want everybody to be there for him," said Dilline Jordan, whose son, Ibrahim Cheek, is a New Haven Firefighter. Cheek graduated from the academy alongside Mieles. Jordan said her son remembers him lovingly.
“Thomas is one that taught. And I think that’s important to the blue brotherhood," Jordan said.
That brotherhood spans across all departments. Not only did members of the fire department show up for the services, but so did the police department.
“He risked his life every day. And our officers and our firefighters risk their lives every day. And that’s the bond that we have with each other," said Chief Karl Jacobson with the New Haven Police Department.
It's that bond that will carry them forward as they remember and honor Mieles.
"What I do remember most about him, is that he had a lot of questions. And I could appreciate that because he wanted to do the right thing. And he was very proud to be one of our members," Chief Alston said.
Chief Alston also touched on the fact that the fire department has dealt with a lot of loss recently. This is the third firefighter death they've experienced in less than two years. Firefighter William McMillian, a four-year veteran of the department, died suddenly on May 6 of 2021. Just days later, Ricardo Torres Jr. died in the line of duty.
"It’s been a tough 18 months for the New Haven fire department," Chief Alston said.
But Mayor Elicker said the community has wrapped its arms around them, helping them get through these difficult times.
"What I've seen is they step up, they continue to come to work every day and honestly it's really inspiring to see how much they support each other," Elicker said.
Those with the department who were particularly close to Mieles were given the opportunity to take some time off to grieve.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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