LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A two-day visitation for fallen Zoneton Fire Chief Rob Orkies began Wednesday in Shepherdsville.
Visitation at Schoppenhorst, Underwood and Brooks Funeral Home on Preston Highway started Wednesday at 11 a.m., and is scheduled to continue until 8 p.m. Thursday's visitation starts at noon, and ends at 8 p.m.
A funeral service will be held Friday at the Okolona Christian Church, beginning at 11 a.m., followed by burial and fire service honors at Brookland Cemetery.
Social distancing and masks will be required at both visitation and at the funeral.
Orkies was already battling cancer before he contracted COVID-19. Zoneton Fire Marshal Kevin Moulton said last week that Orkies was diagnosed with the virus a week after he began his first round of chemotherapy.
The chief was hospitalized Nov. 9 and placed on a ventilator.
Orkies was diagnosed with a type of skin cancer in late September. According to Moulton, Orkies had it removed in October, but had to be rushed to the hospital to remove blood clots in his lungs.
"It's just really frustrating because he just had one setback after another, and he just couldn't catch a break," said Rich Carlson, who serves as the photographer and spokesman for the department. "And he really deserved one, but he just couldn't get it."
Carlson described Orkies as a "super kind of guy. He loved people, loved to do things that people got enjoyment out of. He was always there for you, he was everybody's best friend. He was dedicated to the community, dedicated to the fire department. And he's probably just one of the world's best people."
Orkies leaves behind a wife, two children and grandchildren.
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