Fallen Firefighter Hennessey Saluted Along Freeway Ride

When the body of fireman Greg Hennessey, 49, was transported Wednesday morning north on the 5 freeway, fellow firefighters took the chance to salute him from overpasses along the drive.

Hennessey's body was being driven from the mortuary to the coroner's office for an autopsy and back, Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Kris Concepcion said.

Hennessey died Monday of a heart attack inside Fire Station 45 at 30131 Aventura in Rancho Santa Margarita despite a quick effort to revive him, according to an OCFA statement.

Patch readers first spotted the procession along the Mission Viejo overpasses at Alicia and Los Alisos. Reader Kristen Pearson described four SUVs and a blue and white van, followed by a large fire engine with hazard lights on.

The procession continued north into Irvine, with firefighters saluting the procession on two out of every three bridges, she said.

"It was very touching," she said.

A public memorial for Hennessey is scheduled for Tuesday, March 4 at 10 a.m. inside Saddleback Church in Lake Forest. The memorial was scheduled to give Hennessey's out-of-state family time to make travel accommodations, Concepcion said.

Hennessey, who lived in Trabuco Canyon, is survived by his mother Virginia, wife Deanna and two sons, Ryan, 22, and Brandon, 19.