Firetrucker's Dan Heiderscheit passed away
- Thread starter JP4CY
- Start date
Dan was young. He was 52, I believe. While I didn’t know him well, I did spend time riding with him and he was ALWAYS a pleasant person.
here’s the thing...he was fine this time last year. He was OK during Ragbrai...and now he’s gone.
cancer can take you quickly and in a devastating way. Love and live with happiness every day.
if I’m not mistaken, Firetrucker has other investors and should be continuing as a successful brewery.
here’s the thing...he was fine this time last year. He was OK during Ragbrai...and now he’s gone.
cancer can take you quickly and in a devastating way. Love and live with happiness every day.
if I’m not mistaken, Firetrucker has other investors and should be continuing as a successful brewery.
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He had basketball tickets near us, and I had seen him a few times at games before Xmas. That was fast.
incredibly...my friend saw him this past saturday and they spoke for some time...to think that only 4 days later he is gone is awful.
maybe it's because I'm getting older but this stuff seems to hit harder than it used to. IDK...perspective seems to be changing.
This is a huge bummer. Dan was a great guy. I grew up with his son in Ankeny, and got to have several chats with Dan at the brewery and on bike rides. He was quirky and very clever and always a joy to chat with
yeah his son was in my grade and we played ball and had summer lifting together most years. haven't really talked since and didn't really know Dan by name the times I would be there so never put two and two together.. but this sucks as Dan was always great during the Ale Olympics. he will definitely be missed in the biking and craft beer community.
The Register story from this afternoon:
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...died-january-2020-iowa-craft-beer/4491375002/
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...died-january-2020-iowa-craft-beer/4491375002/
I hate to ask the question, but it is kind of the elephant in the room.
I learned about his passing when I read the Register this morning. The article says zero about dying from cancer so I was wondering how such a young man died.
According to some on the thread, he had cancer.
But....did he die of cancer?
Yes it was renal cell cancer.
https://kramerfuneral.com/tribute/d...6RDfY04Hc2GIO6ee38iROrnQkYEw1nAdUeYW8qIhT4Q3U
https://kramerfuneral.com/tribute/d...6RDfY04Hc2GIO6ee38iROrnQkYEw1nAdUeYW8qIhT4Q3U
This is actually the point where I met Dan. I was working behind the bar at el Bait Shop at the time and he came in with a group of people celebrating his "retirement". I got off my shift, sat down with him and talked about his passion about starting a brewery and what he wanted to do with it.
If I'm being completely honest, I thought he was in over his head. It seems like every homebrewer who makes a nice brown ale thinks it's their time to open up a brewery. Dan, however, had a vision and he had the drive and passion to make it work. I'm not a huge fan of their beers, but I respect the hell out of him for turning his passion into a career.
He was certainly beloved in the cycling community and I know Firetrucker has a very dedicated following around Ankeny. Definitely a huge loss for the company, but a loss for the Iowa beer scene. Hopefully measures were put in place in his final days to keep the brewery going.
