Clayton Cassidy
Image Credit: FLICKR/Government of B.C.
May 31, 2017 - 10:00 AM
CACHE CREEK - Members of the public and firefighters from across the province are expected to attend this weekend's celebration of life for Cache Creek fire chief Clayton Cassidy.
Village of Cache Creek Mayor John Ranta says the Saturday, June 3 event is open to the public and he estimates 1,000 to 1,500 people will attend to remember Cassidy, whose body was recovered last weekend after weeks of searching.
The Line of Duty funeral will take place at 2 p.m. in Cache Creek Park at the arena cover, following a 1 p.m. parade from the fire station to the park.
"It's expected to be a considerable event," Ranta says. "I imagine there will be a fair number of volunteer firefighters from around the province. It's quite a significant event."
Cassidy had been missing since May 5, when he was checking waterways in Cache Creek in the early morning hours. He's believed to have been swept away by the swollen creek. His body wasn't recovered until May 28.
The 59-year-old volunteer fire chief was found by members of Ashcroft fire department who were patrolling Cache Creek.
Ranta says the news brought much needed closure to Cassidy's family and friends, but it wasn't easy to hear. He said he hung on to a small bit of hope that Cassidy had perhaps bumped his head and wandered off.
"It’s the sort of news you don’t really want to hear, yet you do want to hear it," Ranta says. "It does allow for closure to take place. Even though you know in your heart he's probably gone, there's always, in your heart, the lingering one per cent of doubt."
"There was always that faint hope that smiling Clayton would appear."
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News from © iNFOnews, 2017