About the Artist
Daniel Toledo — known professionally as Mister Toledo — is a Mexican Southern Californian artist whose work explores personal and vulnerable themes about the human experience. Before he took a leap of faith to follow his dreams, Daniel spent eight years in graphic design for action sports apparel companies including No Fear, Trinity Products, and Wattie Ink.
He earned his Associate's degree in Graphic Design from Coleman University and dedicates his art to his family for inspiring him to follow his journey. That family-first ethos carried into his community work: volunteering with Backfence Society, a non-profit art organization, Daniel helped elevate the importance of public art and murals across North San Diego County.
Now based in Los Angeles, Toledo works from a shared studio space at Munzón Gallery in Long Beach. He is represented by Thinkspace Projects. His work has reached audiences beyond gallery walls—he designed a t-shirt for ABC7's Spark of Love toy drive campaign, bringing his artistic vision to a cause that delivers toys to children in need during the holiday season.
About the Mural
The central panel blazes with color — a firefighter in full turnout gear, helmet marked with "131" (Ontario Fire Station 131), hands gripping tools of the trade, surrounded by flames rendered in oranges and reds that seem to radiate heat from the wall itself. At the center: the badge. ONTARIO PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS — IAFF LOCAL 1430 — CALIFORNIA. It's not a logo. It's an identity.
Behind and above, the American flag flows in stylized waves of white and gray, stars bright against dark blue — the flag these men and women serve under, the flag that drapes their caskets when the worst happens.
But it's the pillars that stop you. Curtis Gold on one side, Javan Settles on the other — rendered in grayscale, in their gear, watchful and present. Not memorialized in bronze somewhere downtown. Here. On Holt Boulevard. Where the community they protected can see them every day.
This isn't decoration. It's a promise. Local 1430 will never forget. And now, neither will Downtown Ontario.
About the Sponsor: Ontario Professional Firefighters Local 1430
Ontario Professional Firefighters Local 1430 represents the men and women of the Ontario Fire Department, serving 185,285 residents across 50 square miles. In 2020, they established the Ontario Professional Firefighters Foundation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, raising over $100,000 annually through events like their golf tournament and Stuff the Bus campaign.
CURTIS GOLD — End of Watch: August 27, 2022. Curtis joined Local 1430 in February 2016, quickly earning a reputation for critical thinking, dedication, and unwavering work ethic. He served on the USAR team, pursued paramedic school, and was promoted to Engineer. In October 2021, he married Taylor. Eleven months later, Curtis was killed in an off-duty accident. One week after his death, Taylor learned she was pregnant. Their daughter was born April 24, 2023—Curtis's final gift to the world.
JAVAN SETTLES — End of Watch: December 19, 2024. Javan's journey to firefighting began on September 11, 2001, when he witnessed the towers fall from a NYC office building. He joined FDNY in 2008, serving at Ladder 134 "Big House" in Queens. He moved to California in 2012, spent a decade with Long Beach Fire Department, then joined Ontario Fire in February 2023, bringing 15+ years of experience. He spoke constantly of his two "princesses," the daughters he loved beyond measure. His motto: "No excuses, just results."
About the Wall Donor: Battle Lab
Battle Lab at 319 W Holt Blvd is Southern California's premier indoor airsoft arena — a place where strategy, adrenaline, and teamwork come together. Featuring detailed indoor battlefields, rental equipment, The Arsenal bar and grill, and an adjacent Evike Outpost for gear, Battle Lab has become a destination for players of all skill levels.
By donating their prominent exterior wall for this tribute, Battle Lab demonstrated that Downtown Ontario's businesses understand their role in the community fabric. Some walls hold advertisements. This one holds history.