Obituary of Stephen Christopher Collins

Stephen “Steve” Christopher Collins, 49, of Fort Worth, TX died Sunday, October 4, 2020 from a valiantly fought, work-related brain cancer.Born March 2, 1971 in Fort Worth, TX, Steve graduated from Southwest High School in 1989, Tarrant County Junior College Regional Fire Academy in 1992, and Fort Worth Fire Department Fire Academy in 1999.Since he was a young boy, Steve aspired to be a firefighter. He began his career with the Haltom City Fire Department in 1992 and joined the Fort Worth Fire Department in 1999 first serving on the Technical Rescue Team and then in 2013 he joined the Bureau of Fire Investigation where he served for the remainder of his career.In 2012, Steve was awarded the “Outstanding Achievement Award” by the Rotary Club and received a Letter of Merit by the Lieutenant Governor of Texas for his life saving efforts in a house fire. In the fall of 2013, he was awarded the “Comeback Firefighter of the Year Award” by the Fort Worth Fire Department.Steve was a family man who was married to his wife, Carla, for 19 years. Together they have two sons, Pierce (15) and Luke (12). Spending time with family was very important to him, whether cheering on his sons at their various sporting events or enjoying their annual spring break camping trips was very important to him. On his days off, Steve was often found on the golf course or working on home remodeling projects. Over the years, the family dedicated time to traveling together, making memories at Steve’s favorite locations, from the beaches of Hawaii to the mountains of Colorado.Steve’s greatest acts of determination and bravery came during his 14-year fight with brain cancer, serving as an invaluable research subject in the quest for a cure at MD Anderson, and advocating for cancer fire safety and prevention. He was a founding member of the fire department cancer task force, working closely with the Moncrief Cancer Institute, and publicly sharing his cancer journey.Steve is survived by: his wife Carla Jean (Wagner) Collins; his sons Pierce Wagner Collins and Luke Wagner Collins; his father John Franklin Collins III, his mother Cheryl Darlene Collins, his sister Lisa Colleene Nash, her husband David John Nash Jr and her step-son Jacob Edward Nash.Steve’s death has been deemed a “Line of Duty Death” and he will be honored accordingly in his memorial services set for Saturday, October 10, 2020. The service, funeral procession and the graveside memorial are private, but will be live-streamed on the Fire Department’s social media.Studies show that firefighters are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and are more likely to suffer cancer-related deaths as compared to the general public. Steve was a founding member of Fort Worth’s firefighter cancer prevention task force, and the entire family is passionate about cancer prevention for Fort Worth firefighters and the firefighting community at large. In lieu of flowers, people wishing to honor Steve can make gift in his honor to the:Fort Worth Fire Service Resources Network P.O. Box 471011 Fort Worth, TX 76147Venmo: FWFSRN