Tommy Arriaga

Tommy Alexander Arriaga, a son, brother, husband, father and a firefighter’s firefighter, died early on the morning of March 6, 2020, just a few hours after his 36th birthday. The father of two fought valiantly against colorectal cancer, which he contracted in the line of duty as a firefighter for the City of Tempe, a career he loved dearly for as long as he wore the uniform.

The middle son of Rosie and Henry Arriaga, Sr., Tommy was born in Phoenix in 1984, between older brother Henry Jr. and younger brother Sonny. Tommy attended high school in Maryvale before leaving early to enter the workforce. He would later earn his high school degree.

In 2003, Tommy met Monica, the great love of his life, while the two of them worked together at Bank of America. They married on November 7, 2009. They have two daughters: Miranda, age 7, and Madalynn, age 3. A true family man, Tommy was a loyal, caring husband who worked hard to provide for his girls. On his days off and after work, Tommy loved to spend hours with his daughters, playing with them, teaching them new things, and taking the girls and Monica for adventures in northern Arizona. An avid outdoorsman, Tommy also loved taking rides in his truck and his Jeep and logging miles on his road bike.

A humble servant by nature, Tommy found his career calling in 2014, when he joined Tempe Fire Medical Rescue. He worked for the majority of his public safety career at Station 2, where in 2016 he qualified to join the department’s hazardous materials team. Tommy remained closely connected to his brother and sister firefighters even being diagnosed with cancer in early 2019, continually reminding his fellow firefighters to be diligent in preventing cancer by cleaning and caring for equipment and reducing harmful smoke exposure. Tommy also emphasized the need for each of us to make every day count with our loved ones.

Just 10 days before his death, the Tempe South Rotary Club honored Tommy with its Outstanding Firefighter/Employee of the Year award for his dedication to improving the fire service even while battling cancer. Tommy’s death is the second line of duty death in the more than 100-year-history of the Tempe’s fire department.

A man who loved to help others, who loved to make people laugh and with a smile capable of lighting up any room – or the worst possible day – Tommy Arriaga lived a life defined by passion for his family, friends and colleagues, commitment to public service and demonstrating strength and perseverance even under the worst possible circumstances. He, Monica, Miranda and Madalynn will never be forgotten by everyone he leaves behind, including the more than 200,000 members of the International Association of Firefighters who mourn his passing.

Burial arrangements will be handled by Shadow Mountain Mortuary. Services, including full line of duty death honors, will be Wednesday, March 11, 2020, from 11 am to 1 pm at Sun Valley Church, 6101 S River Drive, Tempe, AZ 85283.