A heartbreaking moment was captured when the children of two volunteer firefighters killed during Australia’s horror bushfire season shared a teddy bear during a poignant memorial service.
The public state memorial at Sydney Olympic Park was held on Sunday to recognize the devastating losses of the unprecedented bushfires that ripped through New South Wales.
The loss is huge, thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed and 25 people have lost their lives in the NSW bushfires since October.
RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton’s son Harvey and his truck-mate Andrew O’Dwyer’s daughter Charlotte united during an emotional service at Qudos Bank Arena. Both shared a heart-touching moment.
Mr. Keaton and Mr. O’Dwyer died on December 19 after a tree hit their tanker in Buxton south-west of Sydney.
Both were a part of a four-track convoy on their way to fight an out-of-control blaze.
Samuel McPaul, 28, died on December 30 when the truck was crashed east of Albury.
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says every death is a tragic reminder of the horrific disaster.
‘Each one of those is a story of grief, of profound loss, and great sadness, of lives, cut short, and of families being changed forever,’ he told the memorial.
‘To the families and loved ones of those that have been lost, and who are here today, we know your hearts have been broken over recent months and we are truly blessed you’ve made the effort to be here today.’
Firefighting crews from across the state traveled to Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena for the memorial.
Six sets of boots were placed as a symbol at the memorial for the three American airmen who died in a firefighting plane crash near Cooma and the three RFS volunteers who died fighting fires.
The three Americans killed were captain Ian McBeth, first officer Paul Clyde Hudson, and flight engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr.
They all died when their C130 water-bombing tanker crashed northeast of Cooma on January 23.
‘They were selfless individuals, paying the ultimate price while simply serving and protecting others in their local community and communities much further afield,’ Mr. Fitzsimmons said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke about a black summer underscored by unrelenting grief and children kissing their fathers’ coffins.
‘In every case, our firefighters confronted the fire by relying on the love that was behind them,’ he told the memorial.
‘We’ve lost firefighters, aviators, farmers, and civilians alike this summer. All carried within them, even until the end, the DNA of our universal language – I love you.’
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