ARCADIA, Fla. — A DeSoto County paramedic and firefighter died unexpectedly over the weekend, leaving behind two young sons and a deep sense of loss across the state.
Adam Silbersweig, 52, died from a heart attack while off duty on Saturday, according to this family. Silbersweig served as a paramedic and firefighter in DeSoto County for the last 10 years.
WATCH: Family and friends become emotional remembering DeSoto County firefighter:
DeSoto County Fire Rescue Lt. Kirk Simcic worked with Silbersweig and said he was one of the best firefighters - and fathers - he had ever seen.
“I can’t even put into words the kind of guy Adam was," Simcic told FOX 4. “If you had a bad day, he had a knack of cheering you up.”
Silbersweig lived in Boynton Beach and commuted across the state for work. Silbersweig's parents said he would always make time for his two young sons, even after a grueling 24-hour-shift.
"He just toughed it out, picked the boys up from school, took them to the park, was present. Any spare moment he had, he was present for the boys," said Ronnie Silbersweig, Adam's mother. "And they were the light of his life."
Silbersweig would FaceTime his kids during a shift, Simcic said, while also giving the lieutenant a chance to say hello.
“It was just insane, he cared about them kids so much,” Simcic said.
Silbersweig didn't start his career as a firefighter. First he went into business, Silbersweig's parents said, helping run a successful medical device business.
But he always wanted to help others, Silbersweig's parents said. He was also a case manger for the state who helped look after neglected kids in Palm Beach County.
Adam eventually decided to become a firefighter, fulfilling his childhood dream. He started as a volunteer firefighter in Palm Beach for six years, before taking a job in DeSoto County.
“He’s touched a lot of lives in this town," Simcic said.
Adam's sister launched a GoFundMe to support Silbersweig's two children, who are 7-years-old and 10-years-old.
In the meantime, Adam's family and friends are trying to find to navigate the unexpected loss of a beloved father and firefighter.
“There’s nothing easy about this, this is something that will be with us forever," Barry Silbersweig said. "You know, he was my boy, my little football as he was born. And that’s, that’s not there anymore.”
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