APPLETON (NBC 26) — Six years ago today (5/15), Appleton firefighter Mitch Lundgaard was killed in the line of duty. He was shot while responding to a medical call downtown.
Lieutenant Adam Hansen says, "It's probably a defining moment in both career and just life in general."
Hansen and Lundgaard were more than coworkers. "We spent a lot of time together, off duty as well as on duty. We just became good friends."
Everything changed on May 15, 2019, when Mitch was shot and killed near the Appleton Transit Center.
"Some days it seems like it was yesterday, and then, you know, the next the next week, you can feel like it was, you know, 10 years ago," Hansen said.
Now, more than a third of Appleton’s firefighters never knew Mitch. So Hansen and others make it a mission to keep his memory alive, not just through stories, but through action.
That includes the Lundgaard Love Foundation, launched by Mitch’s widow, Lindsay.
"We were so overwhelmed with the love and support that was shown to our family and the fire department," said Lindsey this week at a dedication of life-saving bleeding control kits, also known as active shooter response kits.
The foundation has raised money for local families in crisis, donated life-saving emergency kits to schools, built a park in Mitch’s name, and is funding scholarships for future firefighters, including maybe his own son.
"So my oldest is 15 already... all he talks about is going on to be a firefighter, just like his dad. So that is his plan once he graduates high school, is hopefully continue and following his dad's footsteps."
Mitch was known for being prepared.
"Mitch was the most prepared person I ever knew," added Lindsey.
That mindset has reshaped how Appleton firefighters respond to high-risk calls. Crews have reinforced safety protocols, refined how they administer Narcan, and enhanced scene safety and trauma assessments to check for injuries and dangerous objects.
"We can take a step back if we feel someone else, someone, is putting us in an unsafe situation. You know, our first, you know, my first job as a company officer is to make sure my crew gets home."
The impact goes far beyond Wisconsin. Mitch’s story is now part of national training for firefighters and emergency responders.
"Yeah, absolutely want to make sure you never want to make sure anything happened in vain. You know, you want to make sure that you can take the positives and the lessons out of a tragedy."
Knowing Mitch’s tragedy is doing so much good, those who miss him say it makes it hurt a little less.
Click on the link for more information on the Lundgaard Love Foundation.
If you would like to participate in the annual Mitch Lundgaard Golf Outing on July 10, 2025, CLICK HERE. Proceeds go to support the Mitch Lundgaard Memorial Scholarship at Fox Valley Technical College and financially support other families who experience significant tragedies in our community.
