Longtime Kentucky firefighter died in powerful storm while shielding his
wife from danger
[May 21, 2025]
By BRUCE SCHREINER
LONDON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky firefighter Leslie Leatherman answered the
call for help, rushing into harm's way as he steadfastly did for
decades, when a late-night tornado plowed through his community in the
Appalachian foothills. It was his final act of selflessness, and the
person he protected amid the chaos was his wife.
Leatherman was among 19 people killed in Kentucky when the storm struck
late Friday into early Saturday, as people in the path awoke to a
terrifying scene. Most victims were from Laurel County in southeastern
Kentucky, where Leatherman was a longtime member of a volunteer fire
department.
Leatherman, 57, died while shielding his wife, Michelle, from flying
debris, said Terry Wattenbarger, deputy chief of the Laurel County Fire
Department, where Leatherman served as a major. He was found on top of
his wife, Wattenbarger said. Michelle Leatherman survived and was in
critical condition Tuesday at the University of Kentucky Chandler
Hospital in Lexington, a spokesperson said.
Wattenbarger said he thinks it happened right after the tornado had
roared through, when winds were still strong enough to fling debris into
the air. They were found in a field about 100 yards (91 meters) from
their destroyed home.
“She was screaming,” Wattenbarger said in an interview Tuesday. “I’m
sure he went ... to the first person he thought he could help. It just
happened to be her.”
The tornado that hit Pulaski and Laurel counties carved a path of more
than 55 miles (88 kilometers), according to the National Weather Service
in Jackson, Kentucky. At its peak, the tornado grew to about a mile
(1.6-kilometers-) wide and had winds up to 170 mph (274 kph).
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear paid tribute to Leatherman for his decades of
public service while asking people to pray for the families of all those
who died in the storm. The Democratic governor said Leatherman "died
doing what first responders do every day – risking his own life for our
safety.”
As the storm approached, Leatherman communicated he was ready to assist,
Wattenbarger said. When a fire alarm sounded in his neighborhood,
Leatherman indicated that he was responding. Soon after that, another
firefighter confirmed the tornado was on the ground there and causing
massive damage.
Emergency workers found the Leathermans early in the response but didn't
recognize them in the pitch-black dark, officials said. Leatherman was
dead, and they tended to Michelle Leatherman. Leslie Leatherman's
location was recorded for later identification, and rescuers moved on to
help other victims.
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This undated photo released by the Laurel County Fire Department
shows Laurel County Fire Department Maj. Leslie Leatherman. (Laurel
County Fire Department via AP)
A short time later, authorities started searching for Leatherman
after he failed to answer radio calls. Emergency responders returned
to find his body and make the heartbreaking identification.
It was typical for Leatherman to rush into danger to protect others,
said Wattenbarger, who struck up a lasting friendship with
Leatherman when they were in high school together.
“His entire life, he’s been a dedicated public servant," the deputy
chief said. "He had a huge heart. He loved his family more than
anything … and just truly enjoyed life and was just a really good
person.”
Leatherman, known fondly as Les, was a constant figure in emergency
services for the region. He started as an emergency medical
technician in Laurel County, then became an emergency dispatcher,
first for Laurel County authorities and then for Kentucky State
Police, Wattenbarger said.
Most recently, he served as assistant director for the 911 center in
neighboring Whitley County.
“He was a very sincere man, very hard working, a very dedicated
man,” said Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. “Somebody
that younger people getting into emergency services in this region
looked up to and looked to for guidance. He was a great mentor to
many of them. We're sure going to miss him.”
Leatherman also served as a fire rescue instructor. Brandon Wagers,
a member of the London Fire Department and a fellow instructor, said
Leatherman's death will be felt throughout the region.
“He was a good person,” Wagers said. “He always had something good
to say.”
One constant was Leatherman's nearly 39 years of service as a
firefighter. Leatherman “put his life’s blood and life’s work into
being the best person and best responder he could be,” Wattenbarger
said.
His death sent shock waves through the close-knit ranks of their
fire department.
“We are surviving," Wattenbarger said. "That’s the only way we can
describe it. People say ‘Are you all OK?’ No we’re not. We’re not
OK. We’re surviving, though, because that’s what he would want. We
want to honor his legacy as a department.”
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