The Clear Lake Fire Department mourns with heavy hearts the loss of a bright young man Cade Hartwig who tragically passed away early in the morning Tuesday August 16th. 10 year old Cade is the son of CLFD Captain Tom Hartwig a 12 year veteran on the Clear Lake Fire Department and a 7th grade social studies teacher at the Clear Lake Middle School. Cade's mother Heather Hartwig a critical care nurse and PICC Team at Mercy Medical Center Mason City.

We grieve this accident together and can’t express enough sympathy over a boy with so much love in his heart and bright future ahead. Cade would talk about future plans when he was old enough he would be on the fire department with his dad. He would tell his dad Tom that when he is on the fire department he will cover his shifts if he needed him to. The big dilemma for Cade was deciding what fire number he was going to choose. Both his dad and uncle were "Fire 55". Tom is “Fire 55” with the Clear Lake Fire Department and his uncle Tad is “Fire 55” with the Garner Fire Department. He looked up to his dad and his uncle Tad and absolutely loved the fire department. Cade was a regular fixture at the fire station and everyone loved him and treated him like a fire fighter. He loved being able to help clean the trucks, talking shop with the guys, riding on the Clear Lake Fire Department’s 1924 Ahrens Fox fire truck in parades and chipping in at the fire department pancake breakfast. 

Please send your love and prayers to this young family. 

Please put Cade Hartwig in reason for donation or donations can dropped off at any Clear Lake bank & Trust location. 322 Main Ave PO Box 8 Clear Lake Iowa 50428 641-357-7121 or CLB&T locations in Clear Lake, Garner and Mason City.