Fundraiser set up to cover costs of new Edmonton Firefighter Memorial plaques

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The daughter of a fallen Edmonton firefighter is raising money to cover the costs of replacing stolen bronze plaques from the Edmonton Firefighters Memorial.

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Lisa Hornland’s father, Les Ashton, died of cancer on Dec. 23, 2002, at the age of 55. His name was engraved on one of four bronze plaques stolen from the memorial, located in Old Strathcona, around July 24.

“These memorials are a place for us to go and mourn and appreciate the sacrifices these men and women made, what they’ve given up and the family left behind,” Hornland said.

“I find it so, so disrespectful what happened there. I mean, these people put their lives on the line for everybody out there and for someone to go and take that I just find it’s so disrespectful.”

According to Edmonton police, the plaques have not been recovered and no suspects have been identified.

Hornland set up a GoFundMe with a goal to raise $5,000 to cover part of the costs of replacing the plaques. Any additional funds raised will go towards the Edmonton Firefighters Burn Treatment Society.

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“The Edmonton Firefighters Memorial is based on raising funds and volunteer work to put these things out there, so I just want to help ease that burden with them and do my part for it,” she said.

In November 2002, Ashton filed a complaint with Alberta’s Workers’ Compensation Board after he was diagnosed with cancer. At the time, firefighters in the province were not granted automatic compensation for certain work-related cancers.

In April 2003, legislation was passed granting the benefits Ashton fought for before he died.

Hornland’s husband’s uncle, firefighter Randy Borecki, died in November 2003 of a work-related cancer.

“(He) was the second one to pass away after these cancers were recognized so it’s pretty deep in our family,” Hornland said.

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She said the memorial means a lot to them as a family and it shows how appreciated their lives were.

“They’re the ones running in to help, even if you’re the biggest criminal out there, those guys will go run in and save your life,” she said.”

Noel Bugnet, chairman of the Edmonton Firefighters Memorial Society, told Postmedia recently the remaining plaques would be removed and recast along with replacements for the stolen plaques.

He said the new ones will be more secure, however it will take more time to complete and so the bell tower will be empty for the upcoming Sept. 11 ceremony that honours fallen firefighters from Edmonton and those who died during the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.

ajunker@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/JunkerAnna