The following is an archived video story. The text content of that video story is available below for reference. The original video has been deleted and is no longer available.

Friends, co-workers, remember fallen Mattawan firefighter

MATTAWAN, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A Mattawan firefighter died Tuesday night, on his way to help others.

22-year-old Nate Fruin was on his way to a fire on M-43 when he suffered what's believed to be a heart attack.

According to his friends, Fruin had no known health issues, other than an injury to his knee.

As a result, it's not difficult to imagine how shocked they were to hear what had happened.

"He started feeling a little ill, so the person that was driving with him pulled over and they called it in as a medical emergency," said Mattawan Fire Chief Terron McLean.

McLean added that by the time help arrived, Fruin was in full cardiac arrest.

Assistant Chief Chad Horton told Newschannel 3 that Fruin started with the Mattawan Fire Department as a cadet at just 16 years old.

"It was his passion," Horton said. "He loved it; he liked to help people."

Horton said the guys always liked to play tricks on Fruin, and he always made them laugh.

"I always told him, if I don't like ya, I'm not gonna waste my breath to pick on ya," Horton recalled. "And I probably picked on him more than anybody."

Horton says that now, though, they're all left with a void, as they remember their 22-year-old friend, to whom they never got a chance to say goodbye.