An effort by the union representing Fairfax County firefighters to reassure the community that bullying and workplace harassment aren’t commonplace struck a painful nerve for Steve Mittendorff — the husband of a former county firefighter who was the victim of online bullying and who died by suicide last year.
Steve Mittendorff said the union, which issued a statement on Friday and indirectly referred to Nicole Mittendorff, was out of line and should not have discussed the reasons for his wife’s suicide.
“The decision to take her life was her decision and a personal one, for which the Local 2068 is not authorized to speak on,” said Mittendorff, in a statement shared with WTOP.