‘Big-hearted’ firefighter dies at age 46 after kidney cancer battle
A Windsor firefighter who devoted himself to his family, profession and community, especially after receiving a shocking kidney cancer diagnosis in late 2017, has died at the age of 46.
“Giving up wasn’t an option,” Jackie Parent said of her “stubborn” husband Chris Parent, who returned to work in August of 2018 and continued working right up to February of this year. She described her husband of 21 years as “so quick-witted” and funny, and dedicated to their children Ethan, 18, and Ally, 16.
“That wit’s going to be missed,” Jackie said Tuesday.
Ally described how she and her “really, really funny and caring” father would regularly have father-and-daughter nights where they’d order sushi or binge-watch a particular director’s movies. She recalled when she was once really anxious about exams, he pulled her aside and told her he didn’t care whether she failed — he was proud of her regardless.
“He had the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met,” Ally said.
Jackie said Chris was diagnosed after experiencing what he thought was muscle pain while hiking during a family trip to the Banff area. It never really healed and a persistent cough lingered. Jackie said Chris was dumbfounded and shocked when the diagnosis was finally made of kidney cancer which had metastasized to other locations in his body.
“His stubbornness is what kept him here as long as he did.”
Kidney cancer is one of about a dozen types of cancer that are considered presumptive for an Ontario firefighter, meaning they’re presumed to have been caused by exposures in the workplace and the firefighter doesn’t have to prove it to get WSIB coverage. But to qualify, you have to have 20 years as a firefighter and Chris had just 13 when he was diagnosed, said his good friend and fellow Windsor firefighter Andre Gingras.
He said his firefighters union will be fighting to get benefits for his family covered. Kidney cancer was added to the list of presumptive cancers for firefighters in 2014.
“It’s one of the on-the-job cancers,” he said. “We feel he should be covered for sure.”
Gingras and Parent met when the two started as local paramedics in the 1990s. Parent left briefly to attend school to upgrade to an advanced life support paramedic.
Gingras eventually became a firefighter and convinced Parent to give it a try, starting 15 years ago. Along the way, he did much community work, volunteering for Big Brothers/big Sisters, food drives and the Downtown Mission, as well as coaching his kids’ teams. Gingras said his friend was a very compassionate “gentle giant,” always helping people out.
“There was nothing he didn’t do. He was just a good guy who would never say no to anyone.”
Gingras said in the last couple of years, facing a grim prognosis, he was inseparable from his children. “He just wanted to spend every last moment with them.”
Windsor Fire Deputy Chief Jamie Waffle said flags have been flying at half-mast at fire stations since Parent’s passing.
“He’s going to be dearly missed by a lot of people,” said Waffle, who described Parent as a gentle soul with an unassuming sense of humour.
“He’s been an inspiration because he tried to make the best of a bad situation and wanted to continue to work.”
The fire department has been unbelievably supportive during Parent’s illness, his wife said, describing how when Parent had a 7 a.m. appointment at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit and his shift wasn’t over until 8 a.m., firefighters would start their shift early to cover for him.
The death of a firefighter like Parent would normally attract hundreds of emergency service people to his funeral, but COVID-19 precautions mean the funeral on Thursday will be private. Gingras said emergency vehicles are expected to line the route between Families First funeral home and the Heavenly Rest Cemetery on Thursday. To arrange visitation on Wednesday, contact Families First at 519-969-5841.
The family would appreciate donations to Hospice Residential Homes-windsor or Windsor and Essex County Cancer Centre Foundation. Jackie said a celebration of Parent’s life will be planned for a later time.