BY MICHELLE KEY
MICHELLE@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA —
Known as the guy who always had a smile on his face, Opelika Firefighter Medic Zachary “Bubba” Sorenson died in a single-vehicle crash early morning, Saturday, July 29.
The Opelika Fire Department (OFD) issued a public statement on its Facebook page later that morning and as word spread through city, hundreds of people shared their thoughts and memories of Sorenson.
“Bubba set the standard for our department. He was courageous, loyal and passionate about firefighting and the Opelika community,” OFD said in the post.
According to Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), the crash occured at approximately 2 a.m. when the 2001 Toyota Tacoma that he was driving left the roadway and overturned. Sorenson was not using a seat belt at the time of the crash, was ejected and pronounced deceased at the scene. The crash occurred on Lee County Road 188, approximately 9 miles west of Auburn in Lee County. No further information is available at this time as troopers with ALEA’s highway patrol division continue to investigate.
“You were everything good that resides in a man. While we grieve heavily for your loss I know you are in a much sweeter place than we could ever fathom. Your hugs were the best and none will ever compete,” C. Embert wrote in the comments.
Chris Smetana wrote, “It’s taken me a few days to process that your gone. You were a genuine human and a solid guy with a huge heart. I’m thankful our paths crossed and I got to know you. Keep watch over us all. Thank you for being you, Bubba.”
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Aug. 5, at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Opelika. A period of visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Sorenson, an avid weight-lifter, earned the title “Strongest Man in Alabama,” heavyweight division, in 2022 and the passion he had for serving the community was just as strong as he was.
