A fallen Lake Country Firefighter has been honoured by the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation in Ottawa.

Karl Featherstone was a Lake Country firefighter who passed away suddenly of cardiac arrest in October 2020 after being called out to four calls in 24 hours.

Featherstone’s wife, Bryanna Lemiski, Karl’s parents, brother, and several firefighters from the Lake Country Fire Department, including the deputy chief Brent Penner and chief Darren Lee all attended the ceremony in Ottawa.

"We attended the ceremony to receive the memorial helmet and were also able to see his name engraved on the memorial wall. In addition to the ceremony on Sunday morning, there was a time of reflection for families on Saturday where we were presented with a medallion," says Lemiski.

Hundreds of firefighters from across the country marched in the procession and the honour guard presented the family with the medallion and the memorial helmet.

"It was extremely emotional but also offered a sense of closure. I am so happy that his sacrifice as a firefighter who helped his community so much and who saved so many lives was recognized. His name will forever be on the memorial wall with the hundreds of other firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice and who now have a family left behind," says Lemiski.

Lemiski says the weekend was difficult and emotional but she made it through with the support of the Lake Country Fire Department and the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

"The CFFF offer an incredible amount of support for families of fallen firefighters and I strongly encourage people to donate to the foundation. They offer financial and emotional support to widows/widowers such as myself and their families including scholarship opportunities for fallen firefighter's children," says Lemiski.

Lemiski tells Castanet the time since his passing has been tough for their family.

“It’s been almost two years since he passed away. It's not often that firefighters get on that wall," she said, explaining that her five-year-old son remembers his dad a bit more than his younger sister.

"But you know, we have his helmet from being a firefighter. Now we have the memorial helmet as well. So it's nice that we have two helmets for the kids.”