A retired Bangor firefighter who recently lost his battle to cancer was honored and celebrated for his service on Sunday. Family, friends, members of the Bangor Fire Department and Army Aviation with the Maine National Guard gathered along the city’s waterfront to honor the life of Christopher McKenna. McKenna passed away in July after a courageous battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
He dedicated his life to serving others, spending 25 years as a firefighter with the Bangor Fire Department, and more than 27 years as a black hawk helicopter pilot in the Maine and South Carolina Army National Guard. According to his obituary, he logged thousands of mishap free flight hours supporting both combat and humanitarian missions globally. After his retirement, he continued his service as a helicopter pilot, which included helping battle wildfires in California as an aerial firefighter, among other efforts prior to his illness. On Sunday, dozens gathered for a celebration of life ceremony followed by a pilot’s last flight solute from the Bangor Fire Department along the city’s waterfront, and a flyover by three black hawk helicopters.
According to Retired Bangor Fire Captain Troy Lare, who worked alongside McKenna for more than two decades, the ceremony aimed to celebrate all first responders and veterans. McKenna’s family hopes to bring attention to the growing concern over the increased risk of developing various cancers, including glioblastoma, from the exposure of certain chemicals in firefighting equipment. We thank McKenna for his years of service to this community and beyond.
