‘We all lost a brother’: Cape Coral fire engineer dies of brain aneurysm

Cape Coral Fire Engineer and driver Michael Camelo Jr. died Thursday afternoon, according to the Cape Coral Fire Department.

The 37-year-old father suffered from a brain aneurysm Wednesday morning, officials said. He left behind two young children.

“We are greatly saddened by his untimely death. This is not only a great loss to the Cape Coral Fire Department and his family, but to the entire Southwest Florida community. We all lost a Brother today,” Cape Coral Fire Chief Ryan W. Lamb said.

Camelo was getting ready for work when he felt an intense pain. Neurosurgeon John Dusseau said brain aneurysms can be a race against the clock.

“The warning signs for an aneurysm typically would be a headache, like one had never experienced before,” Dusseau said. “The pain comes from the sudden release of blood under high pressure in the brain.”

The fire department plans to take extra precautions to keep their firefighters safe.

“If there’s any way that we can reduce or lessen this risk to any other firefighter, we’re going to explore that to the fullest extent,” Lamb said.

Camelo, a 12-year veteran with the fire department, always knew he wanted to save lives and become a firefighter like his father.

“His dad was with the department since 1977,” Lamb said. “Mike literally grew up in a firehouse.”

Those looking to help can visit any Fifth Third Bank branch and make a deposit “to the benefit of Anna and Michael Camelo.”

For more information on donations, click here.