Johnathan Faith, 31, was injured in a motorcycle crash on Route 138 on after leaving his first training with West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department. Submitted photo

Johnathan Faith was extremely excited to begin serving with the West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department, according to Chief Justin O’Hara.

Following his first training on vehicle crash response Tuesday night, Sept. 19, Faith suffered critical injuries in a motorcycle crash of his own at Route 138 and Davis Road.

“His call was his first call,” O’Hara said.

Faith signed up to be a firefighter a week before his crash, after seeing a Facebook post requesting volunteers.

“He called me and said, ‘What do I gotta do?’” according to O’Hara.

He added that earlier that day, Faith seemed eager to get started in fire fighting.

“He was so excited,” O’Hara said.

Johnathan Faith, 31, was injured in a motorcycle crash on Route 138 on after leaving his first training with West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department. Submitted photo

The two have been friends since 2019, after meeting through a mutual friend. O’Hara described Faith as someone who is “all about helping other people.”

“He would give the shirt off his back. That’s actually what drove him to the fire department,” he said.

O’Hara said Faith is also an “fantastic” father to a 3-year-old boy and 1-year-old girl.

“His kids are young, so they don’t know entirely what’s going on,” he said. “His family is taking it hard.”

Faith was taken via helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh from the scene of the crash. He’d left the training around 10 p.m. that Tuesday night, and was in a crash less than 15 minutes later.

Police said the crash occurred as Faith was traveling west on Route 138 on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. A Honda Pilot, driven by Faith Howdyshell, 18, of Butler, pulled onto Route 138 from the Clay Township Community Park in front of Faith’s motorcycle, according to documents. Faith struck Howdyshell’s vehicle as it entered the road, police said.

Howdyshell and her 16-year-old passenger did not report any injuries, according to officials.

According to O’Hara, Faith has always enjoyed motorcycle riding, but also welding and fabrication. Faith had also just started a new job last week.

As far as his volunteer work at the department goes, O’Hara said there was still lots of training for Faith to go through.

“A lot of volunteer firefighter training is on-the-job training,” he explained. “It’s just shy of 200 hours of training to be an interior firefighter.”

O’Hara said Faith is still in the Intensive Care Unit, and has a long road ahead in recovery and his hopeful return to fire service.

“I think he’ll be itching to get back in,” he said.