Firefighter Forced To Perform CPR On Own Wife After Being Called To Fire At Own Home

After being called to a fire at his own home this week, a firefighter was tragically forced to provide CPR to his wife.

Credit: CBS Chicago

On Tuesday, March 7, at night, Chicago firefighter Walter Stewart hurried home after hearing his own address broadcast over the scanner.

Summer Day-Stewart, his wife, tragically passed away on Thursday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. due to injuries she suffered in the fire, not long after their son Ezra, 7, who had passed away the day before.

A two-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter who were also living in the home were seriously hurt and are currently suffering from significant smoke inhalation.

Since the fire started on Tuesday, both of the living children have been unconscious.

Credit: CBS Chicago

It's "not optimistic," according to relative Sarah Day, that either child will survive, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

On Tuesday night, just after 9:00 pm, a fire started in the 2500 block of North Rutherford Avenue.

When the fire department was initially notified, Stewart's truck was not assigned to the fire, but when he recognized his location, he fled to the scene in an SUV.

Stewart gave his wife CPR on the spot, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesperson Larry Langford.

Credit: CBS Chicago

It is believed that the family's kitchen is where the fire began.

Inspectors have not yet declared whether or not the fire was deliberately set; they are still attempting to determine the precise cause.

The family's house did have smoke detectors, according to the authorities.

Amber Day, the sister-in-law of Summer Stewart, posed the following questions to ABC 7 Chicago:

"How do you come back from that?”

"How do you recover from that? How do you go on knowing that that was your life? That was it?"

Remembering Summer, Sarah Day said: "Everywhere she went, she meant something to everybody. She was just that kind of person. She was so unique."

According to CBS News, friends, and neighbors have scattered flowers, wreaths, and stuffed animals along the charred porch of the Stewart family house.

You can donate to Stewart and his family through a fundraiser started by the Chicago Fire Department charity Ignite The Spirit, which you can find here.

"Every member of Local 2 and the Department mourns with our brother Walter and the Stewart family," said department president Jim Tracy in a statement.

"This tragedy weighs heavy on our hearts, and we pledge our ongoing support.”

"Local 2 is encouraging everyone to make a donation for Walter and the Stewart family through Ignite The Spirit Chicago."