Wichita Falls Park Will Be Renamed to Honor Legendary Firefighter

A man who did a lot for Wichita Falls will have his name live on with a park that was right next to his old firehouse.

In what sounds like a slam dunk move for the Wichita Falls City Council they have officially decided to change the name of South Weeks Park, to Kelly Crush Memorial Park. For those who maybe unaware, Kelly Crush was a firefighter for the City of Wichita Falls. However his legacy was a lot more than just putting out fires and saving people from burning buildings.

Watch Wichita Falls City Council Approve Kelly Crush Park (Fast Forward to 53 Mins)

Just last month was the anniversary of Kelly Crush's passing. He passed away on March 25, 2012. Kelly was a member of the Wichita Falls Fire Department from 1988-2009. His fire service may have gone on after 2009, but unfortunately Kelly was diagnosed with ALS that year. However, Kelly spent the next four years of his life raising awareness for ALS.

Kelly Crush was the Texas Spokesperson for the Muscular Dystrophy Association

From 2009-2012, Kelly traveled across the country speaking and raising awareness for ALS. He's pictured above in the orange shirt for an ALS awareness event the Texas Rangers were putting on in 2009. Anybody who knew Kelly said he was one of the most positive people in Wichita Falls. He even took his ALS diagnosis with some positivity. His obituary stated, "ALS was a blessing as he would not have met so many wonderful people nor would he have been able to help with such a worthy cause as the Muscular Dystrophy Association."

Kelly Crush Memorial Park Will Open in the Next Few Months

We do not have an official date yet, but new signage is expected to go up in the next 30-60 days changing South Weeks Park to Kelly Crush Memorial Park. The Wichita Falls Fire Department was obviously very happy with the announcement, you can check out their statement above. A public celebration will happen once the official signage is put up in the park.