Shanon Stone’s relatives, friends and colleagues are with the hundreds of mourners at a public visitation for the 39-year-old Texas Rangers fan who fell to his death attempting to catch a ball thrown by favorite player of his 6-year-old son.
He died last Thursday after falling off head-first around 20 feet from the seats at Rangers Ballpark. Josh Hamilton threw a ball his way and Stone desired to hold it for his son Cooper.
Stone used up the last 18 years as a firefighter in Brownwood, a town of around 20,000 residents some 150 miles from the Rangers’ sports ground in Arlington.
The public visitation was Sunday night and a funeral service is planned for Monday. The tributes have started, from flags in the area at half-staff and flowers left at a monument outside the fire department.
Trease Burke’s husband says family members of first responders are aware of the possibilities, but “You don’t expect it to be a freak accident.”
Stephen Haynes, Brownwood Mayor, says, “It’s still difficult to accept.”
A funeral is scheduled today, next by a procession to the cemetery that is anticipated to comprise over 100 fire trucks from across the region. Texas Rangers’ representatives are planning to attend the funeral.
