Hartland Firefighter Currently in Second Place, Needs Votes to Sing for Detroit Tigers

Walter Johnston, the Hartland firefighter currently competing for a chance to sing the National Anthem at a Detroit Tigers game is currently in second place.

Johnston, a 2010 Hartland High School graduate, is one of ten local heroes in the Comerica Bank’s Home of the Brave National Anthem Singing Contest and the public only has less than a week left to vote.

The winner will be announced on Sept. 16 and will also receive 40 tickets to the game and a $10,000 grant to the winner’s police or fire station, according to a press release from Comerica. 

To watch and vote for Johnston's entry submission, click here.

Metro Detroit police officers and firefighters submitted videos to the Comerica Cares Facebook page hoping to win the opportunity to sing the National Anthem at the Sept. 22 Detroit Tigers game at Comerica Park.

According to a press release, the race has been tight through the first week of voting. Rankings as of the morning of Sept. 5, are as follows:

1.    Martin Rucker, Firefighter, Detroit

2.    Walter Johnston, Firefighter, Hartland 

3.    Steven Curtis, Police Officer, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office

4.    Brendan Moore, Police Officer, Ferndale

5.    Tyler Auclair and Jake Gilbert, Firefighters, Auburn Hills

6.    Carl Allen, Police Officer, Detroit

7.    Raquel Reyes, Police Officer, Auburn Hills

8.    Roderick Wynn, Firefighter, Auburn Hills

9.    Jeffrey Siarto, Firefighter, Oxford

10.  Patrice Dubose, Police Officer, Detroit