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In January of 2016, Armen Hagopian an aspiring student who wanted to become a firefighter one day, graduated from the Verdugo Fire Academy. Excitedly, he began his fire service career with the Long Beach Fire Department as an ambulance operator. A few years later, in February 2019, he was hired into the Pasadena Fire Department where he is currently assigned to Fire Station 36 as a firefighter and paramedic.
In January of 2025, 28-year-old Firefighter Armen Hagopian risked his life battling the Eaton Fires protecting the community he serves. It was only four months later, Armen is battling a different battle; the battle to walk again. The unexpected accident occurred in the late afternoon of May 20th 2025. Armen suffered a severe spinal cord injury in an off-duty motorcycle accident in Burbank that paralyzed him from the waist down.
A Temporarily New Assignment
After staying at the Critical Care Unit at Huntington Memorial Hospital for just under a month, Armen is now at the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey, California, with a life-changing mission to rebuild his life. Certainly, not an assignment anyone would want to take nor an assignment one would have even thought about in the first place.
There are many unknowns and uncertainties: The duration of Armen’s recovery process and prognosis, exactly how much mobility and sensation he will be able to gain back in his legs, and what holds for him in the career he has made for himself and the community he served. Armen will receive extensive rehabilitation treatment, including physical and occupational therapy to be able to walk and perform normal tasks again. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
First responders step into danger daily, putting others first without hesitation—until the unthinkable happens, and the roles reverse. It’s a reality that few prepare for, yet it can change everything in an instant. The courage and resilience required to navigate such a shift as Armen’s is immense. It’s not just about physical recovery but the mental and emotional weight of facing such a life-altering experience. Finding support, whether through our peer networks, faith or just open conversations can be crucial.
When I visit Armen and speak with him, his positive attitude and mindset amazes me. His incredible amount of mental resilience and optimism in the face of this adversity is truly an inspiration and uplifts everyone around him. It’s a testament to his inner strength that most do not possess. Armen is making it his choice to embrace the hope despite his challenges; to adapt rather than dwell in life beyond the uniform. People like Armen have a way of reminding us what courage really looks like.
Please take the time to support Armen and share this with your organization. He will be needing all the help he can get https://gofund.me/f66af3b0
Sam DiGiovanna is a 40-year fire service veteran. He started with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, served as Fire Chief at the Monrovia Fire Department, and currently serves as Chief at the Verdugo Fire Academy in Glendale. He is Director at Large with the California State Firefighters Association, Associate Director for the California Training Officers Association and a consultant for www.Lexipol.com