It was just after 10 a.m. on Monday when dispatch said the words many people in Howard County did not want to hear, “End of watch for Tommy Sullivan.” Tommy served as a volunteer firefighter for Howard County for 35 years, but he was much more than that to many that worked alongside of him. Sullivan was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer back in March and had been dealing with health issues after having part of his right leg amputated in 2017. The amputation came after facing complications from an incident from more than 10 years ago. Many of the men that served next to him said he was more than just a chief, he was father figure and spiritual leader.