A New Hampshire firefighter died of an overdose. Her family wants others to see it as a warning.
“We think that Cara, given her brave and compassionate heart, would want these circumstances to be known, to provide a warning so that others can safeguard themselves against situations like the one that stole Cara from us.”
A 30-year-old New Hampshire firefighter was remembered by her colleagues and loved ones over the weekend, following her death from an overdose. Cara Campbell died on May 19, and her family wrote in her obituary that the firefighter and EMT for the Jaffrey Fire Department “packed a lot of life and a lot of heart into her 30 years,” describing the New Hampshire native as a “hands-on participant” in the community who always defended those who needed help. “Cara will always be remembered as a big, bold, beautiful, and independent spirit,” Campbell’s family wrote. “She was an organ donor; her strong and loving heart was passed on to a lucky recipient.”Campbell joined the Jaffrey Fire Department in March 2017, according to the department.
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Fire Chief David Chamberlain told WMUR he was one of the first on scene to the 911 call for her overdose, not knowing initially it was for one of his own.
“I arrived not too long after that and was notified by my assistant chief that it was one of our members, Cara Campbell,” he told the station.
She wasn’t breathing and was taken to the hospital, where she passed surrounded by her loved ones and colleagues.
“No one knows the true story about what went on in the apartment other than Cara and the people that were there, but I think she wouldn’t want us to dwell on it,” Chamberlain told WMUR. “She would want us to continue and support each other.”
The 30-year-old was one of two women in the department, according to WMUR.
Memorial services for Campbell were held over the weekend. Her family is asking that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the fire department’s equipment fund or to the Jaffrey/Rindge Memorial Ambulance.
“She was a good person,” Chamberlain told WMUR. “She had a purpose. She touched a lot of people’s lives. And I don’t think she knew that.”
Her family said that sharing the details of her death, from an accidental overdose, is what the 30-year-old would have wanted.
“We think that Cara, given her brave and compassionate heart, would want these circumstances to be known, to provide a warning so that others can safeguard themselves against situations like the one that stole Cara from us,” her family wrote. “Please take care of yourselves and each other — that’s what Cara would want.”
