Community mourns death of firefighter

NEWNAN, Ga. — The Coweta County Fire Department is mourning the death of one of its own.

Michael Norton, 38, was a firefighter and paramedic who had been with the department for 17 years.

Norton responded to an early-morning structure fire Wednesday. He then went off duty around 8 a.m. and spent some time on his part-time job in a family business.

Hours later, his wife found Norton in medical distress at their home. He died early Thursday morning.

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“There are no words that can describe the grief and sadness that is being felt by our department this morning,” Fire Chief Pat Wilson wrote on the Coweta County Fire Rescue Facebook page. “(He) will always be remembered as true and humble servant to the citizens, visitors of Coweta County.”

Norton leaves behind his wife, Britney, and daughter, Braelinn.

“Michael Norton was a passionate and dedicated husband, father, son, brother and friend to so many. Michael has been a pillar of the Coweta County Fire Rescue Department; his dedication to the fire service will be forever felt and never forgotten,” Wilson wrote.

Cox Media Group