MILLERSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — People lined the streets and joined in a procession honoring the life of the firefighter and tow truck driver killed Tuesday night while working on I-78 in Berks County.

State police, firefighters, and a fleet of H&S tow trucks led the body of 29-year-old Tyler Laudenslager from Reading Hospital to the Hoover-Boyer Funeral Home in Millersburg.

It was a day of mourning but also of rememberance from fellow firefighters.

“He was always a huge family man, not just his wife and his daughter but everybody in the fire department. You know if you needed something, Tyler was there for you no matter what,” said Bob Stout, a volunteer with Halifax Fire Company.

Laudenslager died while working as a tow truck driver after being hit by a car. But even in that capacity, he was still a first responder.

“Whether it’s a tow truck driver, EMT, fire, police, any number of the first responders and people that are out there doing their hardest to protect everyone else and all of us. It’s a very important job and sometimes a thankless job,” said Sean Grimm, 2nd assistant fire chief with Millersburg Fire Department.

Stephen Bohr is a Williamstown firefighter, whose stepdad also worked with Laudenslager at H&S Towing. “He was a great tow operator. He would drop anything to go out and help anybody, fire, tow.”

First responders all have one message: to save lives.

“Please move over. You’ve got emergency responders out there on the side of the highway,” Bohr said. “Whether it’s an emergency apparatus or personal POV vehicle, or in you’re in a tow truck, always please move over and slow down. It’s the law.”

Whether on a tow truck or in a firetruck, Laudenslager will be sorely missed and remembered by his big family.

“We’re just out here to honor our fallen brother and as a first responder,” Grimm said.

Laudenslager leaves behind a wife and baby girl.