Haley Jacobs
•6/25/2026
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — The sound of bagpipes filled the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center Thursday as hundreds of first responders, family members and friends gathered to honor the life of Charlotte County Fire & EMS Firefighter/Paramedic Jay Sanders.
Sanders, who served Charlotte County for more than 35 years, was remembered not only for his decades of service but for the impact he had on everyone who knew him.
The full line-of-duty death ceremony included an honor guard, a helicopter flyover, ceremonial fire apparatus and representatives from fire departments and public safety agencies across Florida.
Charlotte County Fire Chief Matthew McElroy said the overwhelming turnout reflected the kind of person Sanders was.
"Jay was a great friend of mine, a great worker, just an all-around awesome person to be around. Always had the best attitude, positive with everything, even when he was diagnosed with cancer," McElroy said.
McElroy said Sanders never let his diagnosis define him, remaining optimistic throughout a more than four-year battle with occupational cancer.
"He always made things light when you're around him, always made you smile and laugh," McElroy said.
"There's not going to be another Jay."
Sanders began serving Charlotte County Fire & EMS more than three decades ago, building a reputation as someone coworkers could always depend on.
McElroy, who worked alongside Sanders, said he brought confidence to every emergency scene.
"Whether it be a hazmat call, a fire call, or a medical call, you knew he had your back," McElroy said. "You knew you were going to be able to get the job done without any errors."
During his career, Sanders earned numerous honors, including Fire Medic of the Year and multiple Phoenix Awards recognizing life-saving efforts. He also helped establish Charlotte County's Honor Guard and Hazardous Materials Team.
Throughout the ceremony, Sanders' family shared stories about the husband, father, brother and grandfather they knew outside the fire station.
His son, Josh Sanders, who has served alongside his father for nearly a decade, said firefighting was more than a profession.
"One of the things that I can always remember is how much my dad loved his job," Josh Sanders said. "I call it a job, but that wasn't what it was to him. It was something more. It was part of who he was."
Josh also urged fellow firefighters to prioritize cancer prevention, reminding those in attendance that occupational cancer continues to claim the lives of firefighters across the country. He encouraged crews to decontaminate equipment, wear protective gear and hold one another accountable so more firefighters can return home to their families.
His daughter, Victoria Sanders, remembered her father through everyday moments that defined their relationship.
"He was the person who taught me how to ride a bike, drive a car, fish, and love football," she said. "He changed my oil. He made me laugh when I needed it most."
Victoria said her father lived every day with purpose and encouraged others to do the same.
His younger daughter, Lauren Sanders, said helping people wasn't simply something her father did while wearing a uniform.
"Being a firefighter and paramedic wasn't just what he did. It was who he was," she said.
Lauren said her father's life should be measured not by his battle with cancer, but by the people he helped throughout his career.
"His life will always be defined by the people he saved, the lives he touched, and the love he gave so freely," she said.
Sanders' older brother, Jeff, reflected on growing up together and said that after hearing stories from firefighters over the past several weeks, he realized just how many lives his younger brother had influenced.
"I proudly stand here today and say that I want to be like my little brother," Jeff Sanders said. "The biggest honor I can receive is to be told that I am just like Jay."
Following the service, a procession of fire engines, ambulances, law enforcement vehicles and honor guard units traveled through Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte before ending at Charlotte Memorial Gardens, where Sanders was laid to rest.
McElroy said surrounding fire departments staffed Charlotte County stations throughout the day so local firefighters could attend the funeral together.
"We've leaned on our members around us," McElroy said. "They've actually backfilled our department to allow our members to be able to come honor Jay for his sacrifice and for his service."
For those who knew Sanders, Thursday's ceremony was more than a goodbye. It was a celebration of a firefighter whose legacy will continue through the people he mentored, the lives he saved and the family, friends and fellow first responders who will carry his memory forward.
