VIDEO/PHOTOS: Muskegon-based artist Bryan Snuffer has created a tribute to honor Casnovia Township Fire Department Deputy Chief Sam Deems, who was killed in a two-car crash in Kent County on June 24. The 25-year-old was on his way to work when police say his car caught fire, and he died at the scene. The other driver, 72-year-old Diane Brady, was transported to a hospital where she later died from her injuries.
Snuffer, who primarily works as a military illustrator, painted a portrait of Deems as a way to honor his memory and support his family. “Right away, I just wanted to do a painting and get it to the family,” Snuffer said. The portrait took Snuffer eight hours to complete, and throughout the process, Deems’s wife, Morgan, was top of mind. “I hope that it goes to his wife, just plain and simple,” Snuffer said. Although Snuffer never met Deems, the deputy chief’s impact went far beyond the Casnovia Township Fire Department. “I knew Sam impacted the community, but this is way more than what I ever would have expected,” Morgan Deems said.
