Kelowna first responders honor fallen Nelson officer as his physique is returned residence

Cst. Wade Tittemore’s body was transported back home to Nelson today.

The 43-year-old police officer was killed in an avalanche near Kaslo on Monday while he was backcountry skiing with a fellow officer.

His death has hit Canada’s policing community hard and that includes here in Okanagan.

A statement from the Kelowna RCMP this morning said that BC law enforcement officers “work closely together” and the local detachment “feels the loss” of Tittemore.

“Today, Kelowna first responders learned Cst. Tittemore’s body would be transported home and chose to honor (his) life and pay their respects,” said a statement from the Kelowna RCMP.

“Emergency vehicles were briefly stopped on the side of the transportation route towards Hwy 33 as Cst. Tittemore’s body was escorted back to Nelson.”

Footage shared to the Kelowna Alert Facebook group by Emahlee Cobman shows both police officers and firefighters stopped along Springfield Road to pay their respects as well.

The Nelson Police Department said that Tittemore’s body is expected to arrive in Nelson around 3 pm and there will be a slow-moving convoy through town.

A GoFundMe set up to help Tittemore’s family and Cst. Mathieu Nolet, who was injured in the same avalanche, has raised over $37,000 so far.