‘I’ll miss him forever’: Family, department leaders honor firefighter who died battling blaze

ST. LOUIS — If you asked Ben Polson what he did for a living, he likely would have said, “I’m just a firefighter. I’m a St. Louis city firefighter, just like my dad,’” St. Louis fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson told hundreds gathered Thursday at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.

Jenkerson spoke to a sea of St. Louis Fire Department dress blues that filled the center pews, while family, friends and mourners packed the church to near its 1,500-seat capacity for Polson’s funeral.

Being “just a firefighter” meant Polson worked long shifts on holidays, weekends, birthdays and anniversaries, Jenkerson told the crowd. He responded to each call and put the health and safety of others above himself.

And on Jan. 13, being a firefighter meant Polson lost his life while searching for survivors in a derelict building at 5971 Cote Brilliante Avenue. He was on the second floor when the top story collapsed, burying him. Polson was the first St. Louis firefighter to die of injuries suffered while actively battling a fire since 2002.

“Ben was willing to take a chance, willing to take a risk, often only a brick, bent nail or burned stairwell separating him from eternity,” Jenkerson said. “Remember, Benjamin Polson was just a firefighter.”

In eulogies, St. Louis Fire Department leaders outlined Polson’s unconventional life path, earning an economics degree, an MBA and a law degree before he decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, retired St. Louis fire Capt. James Polson, when he joined the fire academy in 2019.

Raised in south St. Louis, Polson attended St. Raphael the Archangel elementary school where his mother, Sue Polson, is a teacher. He graduated from St. John Vianney High School.

Before Jenkerson was Polson’s chief, he coached Polson’s childhood hockey team. Jenkerson is a longtime friend of Polson’s father, and he grew emotional as he remembered Polson making his pledge of service to the fire department.

The chief said Polson’s resume and personality showed he could have thrived in whichever career path he wanted, but he chose to help others.

Deputy Chief Ken Smith, who oversaw Polson’s shift and also is a longtime family friend, said after Polson graduated from the academy, he asked specifically to work in one of the city’s busiest engine houses and was placed on truck 13c, based in Hamilton Heights.

Smith said firefighters respond on the worst day of many other people’s lives, but last week, the tragedy struck home.

Ben’s company “did nothing wrong,” he said. “In fact, I saw more true acts of bravery at that fire than any other fire I’ve been to in more than 43 years of service. In one of my most saddest moments, it was also one of my proudest moments watching firefighters under my command work to save another brother.”

Polson’s sister, Rebecca Slay, said her brother was her closest friend, the man of honor in her wedding and had lived with her as he went through the fire academy.

“When he finally moved out, I cried even though he was only moving five minutes away,” she said, adding: “I’m a better person because Ben was part of my life, and I’ll miss him forever.”

Polson’s remains were buried Thursday at Resurrection Cemetery at 6901 Mackenzie Road.

Katie Kull of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.