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Nicholas Cheesman comes from a family of firefighters.
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Both his grandfather and uncle were fire captains in Toronto, and another uncle was a fire captain in Oakville.
So it wasn’t surprising when Cheeseman followed in their footsteps, working as a firefighter in Milton before landing a job at the St. Thomas Fire Department four years ago.
“We come from a family of firefighters, so it’s in our blood,” said Cheesman’s younger brother, Ryan.
Tragedy struck Thursday when Nicholas Cheesman, 34, was killed after his motorcycle and another vehicle collided at the intersection of Elm Street and Coulter Avenue, southeast of St. Thomas, around 8:30 p.m., Elgin OPP said.
Cheeseman leaves behind a five-month-old son and a wife. The couple would have celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary on Aug. 7, said Ryan Cheesman, who started an online fundraiser for his brother’s family that raised nearly $10,000 in just hours.
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“It’s the most devastating thing I’ve ever come across, but we have to stay strong. . . It’s all about making sure Nick’s legacy lives on and we’re doing everything we can to support his family at this difficult time,” he said.
Photo by Nicholas Cheesman (Submitted by St. Thomas Fire Department)
Cheeseman, who would have turned 35 on Thursday, was a family man with an unparalleled sense of humor, his brother said.
“Just an amazing brother, son, father, husband, firefighter,” he said, adding that his brother’s kindness came out to everyone he met.
“Nick is the type of guy who would take the shirt off your back. He would do anything for anyone. He had such a big heart.
“He was a hero and just the nicest guy.”
Cheesman’s family was working on his funeral details over the weekend.
The firefighter’s death — on the same day the OPP warned of a spike in motorcycle deaths this year in Southwestern Ontario — is a blow to the “close-knit” department, a department spokesman said.
Cheesman is the 13th motorcyclist killed in a crash this year on OPP-patrolled roads in the western region — an area that covers Southwestern Ontario — up from just seven deaths at this time last year.
The crash that killed Cheesman remains under investigation, the OPP said.
dcarruthers@postmedia.com
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