Salisbury Community Continues To Grieve After Firefighter’s Death
SALISBURY, NC — A local community continues to mourn the death of a volunteer firefighter they say died doing what he loved.
It was a full house at the West Liberty Fire House in Salisbury Thursday as family and friends gathered to remember 55-year-old Michael Goodnight.
His sister, Judy Burris says, “He did love his friends here at Liberty Fire Department. His passion!”
You can still see skid marks on Gold Knob Road where a witness says Goodnight tried to brake, but couldn’t stop his red pick up truck from slamming into a silver Mustang carrying two women Wednesday afternoon.
Goodnight, a volunteer firefighter for the West Liberty Fire Department for two years, was responding to what he thought was an emergency call.
“So hard. And my sympathies go out to the family of the people in the other vehicle,” says Burris. “I sincerely apologize for what happened. And I know he didn’t do that intentionally.”
The women Goodnight hit, 44-year-old Penny Stokes and 18-year-old Sarah Al Zaid, were airlifted to Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem.
On Thursday, Stokes’ brother told WCCB she has a broken hip, broken bone in her face, and head injuries.
Fire Chief Darrin Trexler says Goodnight was a good influence on the younger firefighters in the house.
“He was as dedicated the first day he got here as he was yesterday,” says Chief Trexler. “He would do as much for you as he would for his family.”
Penny Stokes was released from the hospital to attend a funeral service for her father who died this week.Β She later returned to the hospital for surgery and more treatment.
We are told Al Zaid is expected to be released from the hospital soon.
The North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal announced funeral arrangements Thursday night. Services for Michael Goodnight will be held on Monday, July 9th at West Liberty Fire Department, 135 Saint Matthews Church Road, in Salisbury.
Visitation will begin at 11:00am followed by the memorial service, which will begin at 1:00pm.
