After fulfilling his dream of playing tight end for the Denver Broncos under the bright lights of the Mile High Stadium, Wesley Duke has traded in one helmet for another. His National Football League hard hat has been swapped out for one issued by the Denver Fire Department because Duke is one of the newest, and brightest, members of the latter team.
Duke played for the Denver Broncos back in 2005 and said that his decision to become a fireman came largely down to the vast similarities between the two occupations. He added that another important component of his career choice was his desire to give something back to the same community that made his brief NFL career possible.
Saving the Best for Last
Duke revealed that he has had three jobs since he entered the workforce but that this one is by far the best. After he left the world of pro Football, he worked as an over-the-road truck driver, travelling vast distances and being away from home for long periods of time. He got married and had three children over this time, but Duke said the pay wasn’t great and the job didn’t come close to fulfilling his desire to contribute to the community.
So, with minimal coaxing by Captain of the DFD Greg Pixley, Duke opted to put all his eggs in one basket and pursue a career fighting fires fulltime. To fully meet the DFD application process criteria, however, Duke had to immediately leave his truck-driving job. He revealed that he finished a delivery one night and then made his way home fully committed to pursuing his DFD dream.
With the full support of his wife, he risked potentially failing to graduate from the Academy to bring his deepest wishes to fruition. A decision that perhaps only those accustomed to the phrase Get Your Game On can understand! Duke explained that he knew he had to quit his job if he wanted to really pursue his new career and that it was a sacrifice he would make all over again.
On the Road to Success
Duke passed the arduous application process with flying colours and was accepted into the Academy. And it was from here, with the full support of his peers, that he graduated with the Denver Fire Academy Class 19-03 in January this year. The former NFL star beamed with joy as his wife pinned on his badge as he took the stage with his children around him.
In an interview almost a year later, with 911 calls interrupting the process more than once, Duke’s infectious chuckling and cheerful demeanour are still much in evidence. He said that the knowledge that you’re helping people is a very fulfilling one and totally satisfies his desire to serve.
He spoke of the fact that being able to lend assistance to individuals struggling with something as difficult as a fire gives him an incredible amount of joy. He said that although this NFL career obviously earned him far more money, the deep sense of satisfaction firefighting delivers is unmatchable.
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