Sean Michael Misner was born April 8, 1987, in Goleta, California. He attended Santa Ynez
High School, where he played football and ran track. From the age of 10, Sean played football, baseball, and soccer. Because of his size, his nickname on the high school football team was “Mighty Mouse.” He was also known as Spiderman because of how the ball would stick to his hands. Sean always wanted to play professional football for the Dallas Cowboys, but quickly realized his true passion was to be a firefighter like his grandfather, great-grandfather, uncles, and cousin.

He loved to be outdoors—at the Red Rock River, the ocean, hiking, and snowboarding. At Santa Barbara City College, he played football. He moved to Wyoming with his best friend, Jason Lambert, but returned to Santa Ynez after only three months. He became an assistant football coach for Dunn High School and also worked at Los Olivos grocery, where he met his wife, Amanda (Wilkinson) Misner, in 2010. He moved to Auburn, Alabama, again with Jason. This time, it was his love for a girl he had just met that brought him home.

Sean proposed on April 8, 2012 (his birthday), and was married on September 15, 2012. The couple moved to Prescott Valley, where Sean worked with Mountain West Aviation as a line tech while pursuing his dream and passion of becoming a wildland firefighter. On January 1, 2013, Sean learned he was going to be a father for the first time to a son. April 8th was his first day with the Granite Mountain Hot Shots. Sean spoke highly of all his crew members, and he trusted every single one of them to have his back. Sean’s smile could light up a room, and he became instant friends with people he met.

Everyone who knew the devoted husband, father-to-be, son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend could count on him. Sean will be missed, but we know our angel in heaven will be watching over his family with his grandpa, “Smokey.”

Sean was 26 years old when he and his crew were killed fighting the Yarnell, Az. fire June 30th, 2013. September 15th 2012 he married his love and best friend Amanda, they moved to Prescott Arizona, where he began the training process for the GMHS. April 8th 2013 his birthday, found out he and his pregnant wife Amanda were having a boy, they decided to call him Jaxon Herbert, (Herbert after his grandfather who passed away Dec. 2nd 2012). Sean began working with the Granite Mountain IAC Hotshots the following day, April 9th. Sean was 5th generation firefighter, following in the footsteps of his grandfather (Herb McElwee, who passed away in December 2012), his two uncles and his cousin and great grandfather. Sean’s dream had come true, becoming a firefighter, being married and a son on the way. A football player and fan Sean would talk about playing catch and showing his son how to catch a ball the right way! Sean being small in stat ure 5’10 185, he had the heart of a lion and was a competitor and when playing “Youth Football” his team had phrase they played by: “Be Strong, Confident and enthusiastic”. That’s the way Sean lived his life. Though he never got to meet his son he loved him so much. Shortly before the tragedy, he laid his head on Amanda’s stomach and spoke to his son, telling his wife, he was afraid Jaxon wouldn’t know his voice because he was going to be gone to fires so much. After loosing Sean, Amanda decided to call their son, Sean Jaxon Herbert, though Jaxon is what he goes by. Anyone you speak to would say about Sean, he was a quiet, humble, polite person. His friends say you could count on Sean to be there, to listen when needed. Quiet yet when something needed to be said he had the ability to say the right thing or give comfort.