SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A family of firefighters worked together for the first time Friday in Rancho Peñasquitos, a dream that almost didn't come true.
Scott Lowe became a firefighter because of a relative, "I saw the lifestyle they lived and the enjoyment they got from their job so I really started pursuing it."
He said he had an eye on the career but it was his family connection that pushed him over the edge. Years later, the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
"He was like a second dad to me so I got to see it first hand also," nephew Jeff Lowe said of following his footsteps.
A few years later, Scott's son Mike went to the fire academy to walk the same path.
While they have about 40 years of experience combined, they never had a chance to work together until Friday at Fire Station 40.
"We're the Three Musketeers today," Scott said with a chuckle. "Three years ago, we weren't sure today was ever going to happen."
Scott was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, he says from years of fighting fires.
"The surgery itself was over 17 hours and I was in a coma for three days after that to let everything heal up," he said, thankful for his medical team's care.
Scott said he was discharged from the hospital the day his son, Mike, graduated from the fire academy.
Scott's now in remission and using his experience to teach others how to be safer — leaving behind another legacy.
"Keeping our gear clean, our bodies clean and our environments clean is part of the message we're trying to bring out to the new firefighters," he said.
He hopes between his talks and organizations conducting research, together can protect his family both in blood and brotherhood.
