Beloved junior firefighter mourned after fatal accident

A family is in mourning following a tragic accident that took the life of Alexander Thomas Jr., formerly of Devers. 

Thomas, 16, affectionately known as “Junior,” was an active teenager who attended Liberty High School before recently moving to Princeton, TX, where he was a sophomore in high school.  

Thomas and his 14-year-old sister, also formerly of Devers, were involved in a dirt bike accident last week where he died March 8, at a hospital in McKinney, TX. His sister did receive some injuries but survived.  

Locally he is being remembered as a beloved junior firefighter with the Devers Volunteer Fire Department who loved what he did and as someone willing to do anything asked of him along the way. 

“He was a very wonderful kid to be around, and he was a very hard worker,” said Devers Volunteer Fire Chief Kevin Patterson.  

Thomas spent three years training with the department and was a part of the family of local first responders. 

“He loved everybody, and everybody loved him,” said Patterson. 

His father, Alexander Thomas Sr., also a member of the DVFD, remembers his son as a loving and amazing person who did anything he could for anyone. 

“My son had the most amazing heart you could possibly imagine. He was always willing to help anyone with anything at any time,” he said. “He had a smile that would light up any room. He loved everyone, and everyone loved him.” 

Services were held on Tuesday, March 14, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, TX, with internment at Van Winkle Cemetery in Climax, TX. 

A family friend, Josh Hogan, has set up a Go Fund Me page to assist the family in covering funeral expenses at https://gofund.me/d8cb9190.