Chris Sorensen, Firehouse Subs co-founder, firefighter philanthropist, dies at 65

Chris Randall Sorensen, co-founder of Firehouse Subs and a man whose life spanned careers as a firefighter, musician, entrepreneur and philanthropist, died Oct. 11. He was 65.According to an obituary from Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, Sorensen passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family. He was born Oct. 16, 1960, in Jacksonville, Florida, and had called St. Johns County home for the past 30 years.From guitar to fire station to franchiseBefore opening Firehouse Subs, Sorensen was a professional musician and gifted guitarist who sat in with bands including Earth, Wind Fire, Lonestar, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Huey Lewis and the News, and Foreigner.He later followed his father into the fire service, working with the Brevard County Fire Department, the Jacksonville International Airport Fire and Rescue Department, and ultimately the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, where he served more than 10 years as an engineer and EMT.In 1994, Sorensen and his brother Robin — bonded b