In a somber week for first responders, two American communities are mourning the loss of public servants who dedicated their lives to protecting others. On opposite sides of the country, Maui Police Officer Suzanne O and Bucks County firefighter Ed Margavich died in the line of duty, leaving behind legacies of courage, service, and selflessness that have touched colleagues and citizens alike.
According to The Maui News, Officer Suzanne O was killed Friday night, August 15, 2025, while responding to a terroristic threatening call at the historic Paia Sugar Mill. The incident began at approximately 8:26 p.m. when police received reports of an unknown person trespassing on the property and firing a weapon at the caller. Upon arrival, Officer O and her fellow officers encountered the armed suspect, who opened fire on them, fatally wounding Officer O. Police returned fire, striking the suspect in the lower body. The suspect was immediately taken into custody and received medical treatment. As of Saturday, August 16, the suspect remains in custody and the investigation is ongoing.
Officer O, who joined the Maui Police Department in 2020, was known among her peers for her unwavering dedication and sense of honor. She began her career in the Kihei Patrol District before transferring to the Wailuku Patrol District in December 2021. Her commitment extended beyond the call of duty: she was an active member of the Honor Guard, regularly volunteered for extra shifts, and often supported the dispatch team during her own time off. Her dedication was especially evident during the devastating August 8, 2023, wildfires, where she was awarded the Certificate of Merit for her outstanding service Upcountry.
Chief John Pelletier spoke on behalf of the Maui Police Department, expressing the depth of their loss: “Our department is heartbroken. We have lost one of our finest — an officer who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our community. She was a hero, and we will ensure she is honored with the reverence she deserves. Our deepest condolences go out to her family, loved ones, and fellow officers during this time of profound loss.”
Friends and colleagues recall Officer O’s professionalism, courtesy, and tact. Yet it was her devotion to family that truly defined her. In her free time, she cherished moments with her niece and nephews, always placing family at the center of her life. The department has announced that funeral and memorial service arrangements will be shared soon, inviting the community to show support for her loved ones.
Meanwhile, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the firefighting community is grappling with the loss of a beloved veteran. As reported by Bucks County Courier Times, 81-year-old Ed Margavich died August 15, 2025, from complications related to injuries sustained during a suspected arson fire on August 8. The blaze, which broke out in the 700 block of Cedar Avenue in Bristol Township, took multiple fire departments two hours to bring under control. Authorities allege it was intentionally set, destroying a van and a home, damaging a neighboring residence, and endangering the lives of five adults who were rescued from the burning structure. Three firefighters sustained minor injuries during the response.
Margavich, a member of the Third District Volunteer Fire Company since 1960, was injured while performing fire police duties—directing traffic at the chaotic scene. According to Chief Howard McGoldrick, Margavich’s nephew, the veteran firefighter left the fire scene to retrieve more traffic cones from the Croydon Volunteer Fire Station. It was there that he tripped and fell, breaking his thigh bone in two places. Even then, Margavich managed to radio for assistance without revealing the gravity of his own injury. “He was calm and cool and joking about it,” McGoldrick recalled. “The last thing on his mind was him. Everything was about other people. That sums him up.”
Margavich underwent emergency surgery, but succumbed to complications a week later. His passing marks the first line-of-duty death for the Third District Volunteer Fire Company. “And hopefully the last one,” McGoldrick said somberly. “In all the calls I’ve had as chief, that is the one call I never wanted.”
Margavich’s service spanned more than six decades. He joined the company at 16, just five years after its founding, and served as chief in 1978. Even after stepping down from driving firetrucks to calls about 11 years ago, he continued to contribute, maintaining vehicles and performing fire police duties for the last 20 years. McGoldrick shared with a touch of humor that he often tried to find a reason to pull Margavich from traffic duty, but his uncle always passed the required physicals. “That is rare,” he noted. “You don’t see that anymore.”
Margavich’s impact extended beyond his own department. On August 16, more than 50 people visited a memorial set up in his honor at Station 14 on Harriman Avenue, where his firefighter coat and helmet were displayed. Funeral services will be scheduled after an autopsy and will include a full in-line-of-duty death ceremony, ensuring that Margavich’s decades of service are honored with the dignity they deserve. “Ed’s sudden passing has deeply affected our company and the broader fire service community in Bucks County,” McGoldrick wrote in a press release. “He was respected for his wisdom and valued presence at meetings, and his absence will be keenly felt by all.”
The Cedar Avenue fire remains under investigation as of August 16, with authorities working to determine who set the blaze and why. The community, meanwhile, is left to reflect on the risks first responders face every day—risks that are often invisible until tragedy strikes.
Both Officer Suzanne O and Ed Margavich exemplified the best of public service: a willingness to step into danger, a devotion to others, and a humility that put community above self. Their stories, though rooted in separate towns and distinct professions, are united by the same thread of sacrifice. As colleagues, friends, and family gather to remember them, their legacies offer a poignant reminder of the costs—and the quiet heroism—of those who serve.
As both investigations continue and arrangements are made to honor the fallen, their communities pause to mourn, to remember, and to give thanks for lives lived in the service of others.