As a Marine, a firefighter and a lifeguard, Garrett Opper spent his life in service to others. But like so many who dedicate themselves to protecting their communities, the battles he fought on the inside were the hardest ones of all.
Opper, a Fletcher High School alumnus and Jacksonville Beach native, died in April 2022 after struggling with the mental health toll of a career defined by service. He had served three tours in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps, worked as a Driver/Engineer with St. Johns County Fire Rescue, and spent 20 years as a lifeguard and lieutenant with Jacksonville and Atlantic Beach. He was, by all accounts, the kind of person who would always “go” — no questions asked.
Four years later, the community he gave so much to is making sure his story doesn’t end there.