ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — A local brewery and BBQ business in St. Lucie County teamed up Friday night to throw a special event for first responders.
Hop Life Brewery co-owner Robert Tearle and Florida BBQ Company owner Shaun Lee wanted to do something to show their appreciation to first responders following the death of Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joseph Bullock.
Tearle offered free drinks to first responders, while Lee provided free BBQ dinners to first responders and their families.
“We just want this to show the gratitude toward what they do because any call could be their last. We just want to give them the thanks that they’re owed,” Lee said.
The death of Trooper Joseph Bullock was personal to both men because they both have experience as first responders.
Tearle is a retired firefighter in St. Lucie County. Lee said he was a trained paramedic in New York.
“Being on the job for 30 years, we’ve all lost someone close to us. So yeah, we know the pain they’re going through,” Tearle said.
“It was very touching of them to do this for us,” said Stuart Police Officer Rachael Minor. “A lot of us worked with the trooper pretty closely. He was my partner’s field training officer when he was with FHP so this really hit close to home for us.”
First responders also honored Bullock by writing his number on the Florida BBQ Company food truck alongside their own numbers and initials, keeping the trooper at the center of everything they do.