Ted Carpenter, the Dallas Fire-Rescue veteran named in July as an honoree at the Rockwall Professional Firefighters Charities' annual Firefighters' Ball, died Monday, Aug. 3, on his 48th birthday after a nearly two-year battle with mesothelioma he contracted on the job.

Carpenter, 48, was one of two honorees selected for the Saturday, Oct. 3 gala at the Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront. As we reported July 28, the ball was organized in part to raise funds for Carpenter and co-honoree Tim Sullivan, both Dallas Fire-Rescue veterans facing life-threatening health crises.

Dallas Fire-Rescue confirmed Carpenter's death in a social media statement Monday, saying he had served the department and the City of Dallas since May 2002. The department described his passing as a tragic loss for his biological and departmental family alike.

Carpenter held the rank of Driver/Engineer. He was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of peritoneal mesothelioma in October 2024. The Dallas Hispanic Firefighter Association said he was exposed to asbestos while serving the community, according to WFAA.

He is survived by his wife, Bree, and two children: daughter Aubree and son Tate.

His daughter Aubree wrote in 2024, when she launched a GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $29,000 for his medical expenses: "My dad has always used his voice for good, singing not only for the church, but giving back for Dallas Fire events; singing, being in various a cappella groups spreading the word and also singing for his family and uplifting them with his voice when they have needed it most."

A separate fundraiser organized by the Dallas Hispanic Firefighter Association raised more than $3,000.

Sullivan, the ball's other honoree, suffered sudden cardiac arrest at home caused by a rare genetic heart condition and received a donor heart in February 2026, according to Blue Ribbon News. His current condition has not been publicly updated.

The Rockwall Professional Firefighters Charities has not yet issued a statement on how Carpenter's death will affect the Oct. 3 event or whether the gala will now serve as a memorial tribute. Tickets and sponsorships remain on sale at [email protected].