Many first responders, agencies and departments from Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula gathered to welcome home firefighter Matthew Quiner on Tuesday, October 19th, as his body arrived into Anchorage.
Anchorage Fire and Airport Police and Nikiski Fire Department crews received the body of Quiner, which arrived on an Alaska Airlines flight at Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage.
Matthew Quiner, an off-duty firefighter for the Nikiski Fire Department, died in an apparent drowning off of the coast of Oxnard, California Friday, October 8th, according to the Ventura County Star.
The Ventura County Star reported that Quiner was apparently found in the water and given CPR on the shore. He was taken by ambulance to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard where he was pronounced dead. The publication reported that Quiner had been wearing swimming gear and had been swimming alone at the time. According to a social media post from his wife, Quiner reportedly suffered a heart attack while snorkeling in the water, which resulted in the drowning. She says that he had acute coronary syndrome and two of his coronary arteries were mostly blocked.
According to a social media post from his wife, “he was flown home to us, flown home to the only place he ever called home, Alaska. He was escorted, honored, reverenced and respected by so many in the community and by the fire/police/state trooper and emergency personnel, from Anchorage all the way down the peninsula.”
The Nikiski Fire Department took to social media to thank all those who took part, “A big thanks to all of the agencies and departments that showed up to support us last night from Anchorage all the way to the funeral home in Kenai. A special thank you to Anchorage Fire and Airport Police and Fire for their generous hospitality and assistance in retrieving the remains of our beloved Engineer, AEMT, Father, Husband, Friend and Brother Matthew Lincoln Quiner. Rest In Peace Q”
A funeral is scheduled for Saturday October 23rd at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Saints Kenai Chapel, 609 N. Forest Drive, at 1pm. Burial services will immediately follow at Soldotna Community Memorial Park.
A GoFundMe has been set up in hopes of paying for funeral expenses with the goal of raising $50,000.
*Photos courtesy of Senator Peter Micciche Facebook page and Angeline Morrill-Quiner Facebook page