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National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Roll of Honor

Seasonal Firefighter
Age: 30
Year of Death: 2013

Christopher Alan MacKenzie

Christopher Alan MacKenzie was born on September 12, 1982, in Fontana, California. Chris lived in San Bernardino for three years and then moved to Hemet, California. Chris attended Hemet, Whittier, and Valle Vista Elementary, Dartmouth Middle School, and Hemet High School, where he graduated in 2001.

As a boy, his sense of adventure began to get ahold of him, and he hungered to be active. It was in high school that Chris thrived. There wasn’t a student that didn’t know him. He never was part of any clique; he knew and had friends in nearly all walks of life. Football became his passion, and he played all four years in high school.

After high school, Chris developed a passion for snowboarding and moved to Big Bear, California, where he worked seasonally on a snow blowing crew and eventually as a snowboard instructor.

Before working for the Prescott, Arizona, Fire Department, Chris worked for the Bureau of Land Management on engine and helicopter crews and for the U.S. Forest Service on engine and hotshot crews.

In 2010, Chris was invited by one of his former captains to apply to the Granite Mountain Hotshots. In January 2013, Chris started his third season as a lead crew member with the Granite Mountain Hotshots out of the Prescott City Fire Department in Arizona.

The testament of Chris’s life was not so much in the moments of his journey but more told in the manner in which he lived them. Chris lived his life to the fullest and went places most people dream about. He loved to travel and explore the outdoors. He loved fighting wildfires and told his brother that he saw it as a way to see the most beautiful country in America. But most of all, Chris loved to be with his friends. He cultivated his friendships and received his firefighting teammates as true brothers.

Chris is survived by his father, Michael MacKenzie; mother, Laurie Goralski; brother, Aaron MacKenzie; stepmother, Janice MacKenzie; and stepsisters, Janae Gier and Jill Allison.

On behalf of Chris’s extended family, we all say that Chris never let the negativity of this world get to him. He loved and lived life with a full heart. As his life and career reveal, he embraced the responsibilities of a man, all while maintaining the fun loving heart of a child. Chris’s attitude was infectious; you wanted to be around him, and he would make you laugh. Chris absolutely loved his family, and they loved him.

Memorial Posts

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Memorial Wall

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  1. Rest in peace, Chris.

    – Sarah
  2. Rest in peace, Mack. Heartbroken…..

    – Betty
  3. I love you Chris! You were BLM and my brother and I were USFS (BDF). You always made us laugh, even your smile made us happy. You’re with God now, we love and miss you brother.

    – Josh Spoon
  4. I love you Chris! You were BLM and my brother and I were USFS (BDF). You always made us laugh, even your smile made us happy. You’re with God now, we love and miss you brother.

    – Josh S.
  5. I can’t say thank you enough for all that you did. Your story has touched the lives of many, mine included. I’m so sorry for what happened. I’ve made it my mission to hike the granite mountain hotshot trail to pay my respects to you and your fallen brothers.

    – Missy Edmonds
  6. Rest in peace Chris, You and your firefighters brothers are the heroes that this world still needs, how proud I am to have known their stories in the movie, Long live granite mountain hotshots!

    – Melanye Choez
  7. Hey cousin Christopher is me adeline I’m 13 turning 14 now:) it’s hard with out you here. Grandma and mom is a mess. I miss you a lot. I’m gonna come see you soon! I love you- addy<3

    – Adeline
  8. Rest Easy Chris you did good watch over us from the Heavens

    – Kyle
  9. Hey Chris, I miss you every day. You should have made it out. We needed your outlook on life. Just your presence. Your laugh, jokes, stories were always infectious. I miss your smile. I miss your hugs.
    I (we) miss you. Macklynn is grown up now. She looks just like you. I came to tell you but was 2 weeks late. I cried when she was born. I felt you there. Loved you

    – Macklynn
  10. Rest in peace MacKenzie.

    – Juile
  11. You and your brothers story of sacrifice has inspired me to become a volunteer firefighter. May you rest in peace.

    – Tyson Potter
  12. Just watched the movie Only The Brave….
    I’m going through personal struggles of my own, separated from my wife 1 year now and trying my best to be a good dad been through injuries and financial struggles. This man has given me inspiration, along with all his brothers, both fallen. Still here today to pick myself up and dust myself off and keep fighting the fight of life. I take my hat off to you, Christopher. Sir you my friend are an inspiration to the rest of the human race. Rest in peace brother and know that you have inspired many to be better in the precious time we have on this planet. All my love and deepest sympathy for your friends and family.
    Never forgotten and always remembered xxx.

    – david turner