Bryant Whitmore, 41, former cowboy in motion pictures and prison guard died September 28, 1926 from burns suffered at the fire at Clear Creek. Whitmore and the rest of the volunteers were working against the blaze in the vicinity of the “Double Barrels about six miles from Carson on the road to Glenbrook. They were on the western side of the road when a sudden turn of the wind sent the flames at their heels as they ran for cover in the ledge of rocks up the hillside. Whitmore had made it to safety but Arthur Sunday a short distance from him had been caught in the flames. Ignoring others who tried to dissuade him from a rescue attempt he went after Sunday and received severe burns about his head and arms. Sunday who also suffered severe burns from head to two passed away later after Whitmore.
He was survived by a wife and two children. Whitmore was a member of a family with twelve children and by a gruesome coincidence three in that family died by burning.
“Bryant Whitmore’s death adds another load to our sorrow and adds another hero to Valhalla. His death was pure sacrifice for when he was clear of the flames he turned back to rescue Mr. Sunday, for whose life he feared. His impulse to help in the first instance was that of a pioneer people whose first thought is neighborliness and helpfulness. He resisted all efforts to dissuade him from the attempted rescue and his example will shine for years as an inspiration to us all. By his death he has gained an added life and Nevada has added a hero the the roll of fame.”
-Govenor Scrugham