Helicopters fly overhead as the body of firefighter Donnie Adkins is loaded into the back of a Kanawha County Ambulance that will finally take him home after almost a week of searching.

Glasgow Fire Chief, Marty Blankenship says, "There wasn't a bit of ground not turned over. They were just glad they found their brother."

Adkins boat flipped while he was on a rescue mission in Raleigh County this past Saturday. A search crew from Kanawha County found his body under heavy debris in Piney Creek almost five miles from where he originally fell into the water.

Deputy State Fire Marshal, Reed Cook, says "It took 3 hours to get him outta there. Then they had to transfer him across the river and it was only accessible by four wheelers."

Hundreds of first responders from around the state came to help search for their brother.

Beaver Fire Department Chief, Larry Rice, says, "We made a promise we would bring him home and we weren't ever going to give up."

But some said it seemed like fate that out of the hundreds that searched for Adkins, it was the crew from his home county that found him.

"He was definitely a Kanawha County Firefighter and I think his crew finding him made them real proud." says Cook.

Blankenship says it's not the storybook ending everyone wanted but it does grant closure.

"We can start the grieving process now and it's just a bad situation. He died doing what he loved. He loved helping people. It was an honor to know him." says Blankenship.

The search crew that found Adkins this afternoon said they didn't want to leave the spot where they found him unmarked, so they took surveillance tape and wrapped it around the tree that was in the pile of debris where he was found. They all signed the tape and then carved a cross in the tree.

The Hurricane Fire Department has challenged all West Virginia Fire Departments to send at least one hundred dollars to help Adkins' family during this difficult time. Adkins leaves behind two children. Firefighters say he was also a father figure to his girlfriend's child.

Funeral services for Adkins will be at Riverside High School, Wednesday, March 24th at 1pm. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service.

Donations can be sent to:
Donnie Adkins Fund
c/o Glasgow Fire Department
P.O. Box 190
Glasgow, WV 25086