Flags across Saline and Pettis counties will be at half staff Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 in memory of a Sweet Springs firefighter who recently died after responding to an emergency call.

33-year-old Christopher Mykel Clevenger died Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 at an area hospital, when he experienced a medical issue that stemmed from an emergency call he responded to as a volunteer firefighter with the West Central Missouri Fire Protection District. Governor Mike Kehoe issued the order Monday morning for flags at government buildings in both counties, as well as at fire stations across Missouri and at the Fire Fighters Memorial in Kingdom City. Kehoe praised Clevenger’s career as a firefighter and youth sports coach, saying that his “commitment to serving others will be a lasting part of his legacy.”

Clevenger is survived by his wife Jessica, two children, his parents, and extended family. View his obituary here.