''His goal in life was to help people, and (there is) no doubt he obtained that goal,'' said Jennemann's uncle, David Rupp.

But just 5 1/2 months after realizing his dream of joining the county ambulance service as an EMT, Jennemann died at 9:57 a.m. yesterday of complications from bacterial meningitis at University of Louisville Hospital. He was 27.

Jennemann was born in Oakland, Calif., but had lived in Louisville since age 5. In 1992, he graduated from Male High School, where he played football. In his senior yearbook, he used a line from the movie ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'':

''Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.''

Before joining the county service in February, Jennemann worked for Louisville's Yellow Ambulance for nearly five years. Sherman Hockenbury, Yellow Ambulance's executive director, hired Jennemann and recalled him as someone who loved his profession, was always on time and didn't complain.

''Brian was one of those employees that was extremely dedicated,'' Hockenbury said.

Just last Sunday, Jennemann was talking about how much he loved his job, said Rupp, who worked for Louisville Emergency Medical Services for 22 years. The next day, Jennemann was ill with symptoms that seemed like a common cold, according to Matt Creed, his EMS partner.

On Tuesday, Jennemann's condition seemed worse. He was taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis. By Thursday, he was on a respirator and showed no signs of brainstem activity.

So far, officials have been unable to pinpoint how Jennemann contracted meningitis. But Dave Langdon, a spokesman for the Jefferson County Health Department, said an examination of the runs Jennemann made over the past week makes it seem unlikely that he became infected while treating patients.

''Many times you never do find a specific cause,'' he said.

On Sunday, a woman died of bacterial meningitis at Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services in New Albany, Ind. Dr. Everett Bickers, Floyd County health officer, said the two cases so far seem ''isolated, unconnected.''

Bacterial meningitis, which causes inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord, has an incubation period of three to four days, Langdon said. Some of its symptoms include a sudden fever, rash and stiff neck.

Yesterday morning, county EMS workers organized a vigil outside the hospital to show their support for Jennemann, Capt. Diane Bagby said. ''He's their co-worker, he's their friend, and he's one of us,'' she said.

In Jennemann's honor, his family is establishing a scholarship fund for would-be paramedics who can't afford emergency medical training. Rupp noted that Jennemann himself had a difficult time coming up with the money for training.