Southern Beltway bridge dedicated to firefighter killed in 2022 accident
The family of a firefighter killed in a car crash in 2022 gathered at a bridge on the Southern Beltway Friday as it was dedicated in his name.
The bridge crosses over State Route 980 in Cecil Township, and officials unveiled the sign bearing its new name: Terry D. Tackett Jr. Memorial Bridge.
Tackett was a lieutenant at Presto Fire Department in Collier Township, Allegheny County. He died at the age of 32 on Oct. 19, 2022, following a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 376 East.
“Mr. Tackett loved helping people anyway he could and enjoyed saving lives as a volunteer fireman. Mr. Tackett was known as a selfless caring and courageous individual who would sacrifice his own well-being to come to the aid of others,” said state Rep. Jason Ortitay at the dedication ceremony Friday afternoon.
Ortitay introduced legislation earlier this year to name the bridge after Tackett.
Tackett’s mother, Sherry Rehak, read a message on behalf of her daughter-in-law, Rachael Tackett.
“Terry believed that no act of kindness, no matter how small, was ever wasted,” Rehak said.
Tackett’s father, Terry Tackett Sr., spoke before the cover was pulled off the sign. He described his son as a loving person who would do anything for anybody to the crowd that included relatives, elected officials and first responders.
Tackett Jr. grew up in Cecil Township, where Tackett Sr. still lives, not far from the bridge.
“Him and his brother drove dirt bikes,” Tackett Sr. said.
Tackett Jr. had worked professionally as a foreman for Golden Triangle Construction in Imperial, according to his father.
Tackett Sr. gave credit to Matt Burd, assistant chief engineer at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, for facilitating the bridge dedication.
He joked about their sometimes contentious relationship during the construction of the Southern Beltway.
“This gentleman here, Matt Burd, we became friends after we fought 17 times,” Tackett Sr. said.
Burd interjected from the sidelines: “He’s lowballing that.”
Tackett Sr. said of how the bridge dedication came out, “I am very honored.”