Bound by tragedy: Children whose hero dads both died battling blazes share a teddy bear during emotional state memorial service honouring the 25 people killed this bushfire season
The infant 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 recognise the devastating toll of the unprecedented bushfires that ripped through New South Wales.
Thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed and 25 people have died in the NSW bushfires since October.
Harvey Keaton, son of RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton, and Charlotte O’Dwyer, daughter of late volunteer Andrew O’Dwyer share a teddy bear during the Bushfire State Memorial at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Sunday
RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton’s son Harvey and his truck-mate Andrew O’Dwyer’s daughter Charlotte shared a touching moment as they held hands at the service
RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton’s son Harvey and his truck-mate Andrew O’Dwyer’s daughter Charlotte shared a touching moment as they united during an emotionally-charged service at Qudos Bank Arena.
Mr Keaton and Mr O’Dwyer died on December 19 when a tree hit their tanker in Buxton south-west of Sydney, while Samuel McPaul died on December 30 when the truck he was travelling in crashed east of Albury.
NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says each death serves as a tragic reminder of the horror summer.
‘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 that you’ve made the effort to be here today.’
Firefighting crews from across the state were among the hundreds of people who travelled to Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena for the memorial.
Six sets of boots were symbolically placed 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.
Captain Ian McBeth, first officer Paul Clyde Hudson and flight engineer Rick DeMorgan Jr were killed 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.
Geoffrey Keaton, 32, died when his fire truck rolled while battling the large Green Wattle Creek blaze near the town of Buxton
Andrew O’Dwyer (pictured with his daughter Charlotte) also died in the incident on December 19 last year
Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke of 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.’