UPDATE: May 21 at 3:40 p.m.
The funeral arrangements for Laurel County Fire Major Leslie Leatherman have been announced.
A funeral is scheduled for Monday, May 26 at the Faith Assembly of God Church. An entombment at the Cumberland Memorial Gardens will follow.
Family will receive friends at the church on Monday starting at 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral.
UPDATE: May 19 at 1 p.m.
New details have been released on the death of Major Leslie Leatherman after he reportedly died in the line of duty when a tornado hit the Laurel County and Pulaski County area overnight on Friday.
According to the Laurel County Fire Department, at around 11:45 p.m. a fire alarm was reported at a home on Sunshine Hills Road, prompting Leatherman to respond from his home in the area.
When emergency personnel arrived to the Sunshine Hills community, they found two people in a field across from Boone Trace on Sunshine Hills Road. A woman was reportedly calling for help and an unresponsive man was found lying on top of her.
The woman was treated by EMS and taken to an area hospital while the man was confirmed dead on the scene.
The department added that attempts to reach Leatherman by radio between midnight and 12:30 a.m. failed, and search efforts began. Upon investigating, deputies determined that the man who died was Major Leatherman.
Further, the department said it appears that Leatherman responded to the initial fire alarm when the tornado hit the area. When he saw the injured woman "he used his body to shield her from further harm," according to the department.
The woman was later identified as Leatherman's wife who was critically injured, the department reported.
Original Story:
A Major with the Laurel County Fire Department died while responding to the devastating tornado that struck Laurel County, according to the department.
Major Roger Leslie Leatherman was fatally injured during response operations to the tornado.
The department says that Leatherman served as a "dedicated public servant" for 39 years, answering calls to protect and help community members during times of need.
Officials are asking the public to keep Major Leatherman's family, friends, and fellow responders in their thoughts and prayers.
"This is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers our first responders face every day and the incredible bravery they show in the face of disaster," a post from the department reads.
As search and recovery efforts continue in the affected areas, authorities request that everyone stay clear of the disaster zone to allow emergency teams to work safely and effectively.
