‘We honor his life’
Lakeview remembers Remiger at homecoming
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COTTONWOOD -- It's an annual tradition at Lakeview School. Members of the Lakeview cross country team carry the ball for the homecoming football game from Wood Lake to Cottonwood. But this year the tradition took on extra meaning, as Lakeview community members honored the memory of a Wood Lake firefighter.
At the start of Thursday's homecoming game, the game ball was presented to family members of Patrick Remiger. Nearly one year ago, Remiger died in an accident where a Wood Lake fire truck overturned following homecoming festivities.
"Tonight we remember Pat, we honor his life, and we stand together with the Remiger family," game announcer Phil Lalim said.
Remiger served for 20 years on the Wood Lake Fire Department, and he also had strong connections to the Lakeview School community. His wife, Becky, is Lakeview's head cross country coach, and two of their three children are currently on the cross country team.
The lead-up to Lakeview's homecoming game on Thursday had some special elements in Patrick's memory. A line of fire trucks and firefighters from Wood Lake, Cottonwood and Hanley Falls were waiting outside the school building as the cross country team arrived with the game ball. Many people were wearing red in honor of Remiger.
"Tonight the volleyball team are all wearing red for Pat," said Lakeview student Addyson Jorgenson.
A lot of the events for Lakeview's homecoming were still the same as usual this year, but there was a focus on standing with the Remiger family, students and school staff said.
"People are definitely coming together more for support," said Lakeview student Hadley Kotek.
"It feels like we've always been one big family community" at Lakeview, said paraprofessional Jaymee Johnson.
When the cross country team arrived at the school escorted by a fire truck, they ran through a tunnel of supporters including firefighters, community members, and the Lakeview pep band and cheerleaders. Just before the start of the football game, runners gave the game ball to the Lakeview football captains, who presented it to the Remiger family.
The outpouring of support for Patrick and his family felt unexpected, but positive, said his mother Jane Remiger.
"It's been a year. It's still surprising," she said.
Patrick's parents, Steve and Jane Remiger, were present Thursday for the presentation of the game ball.
"You never realize how much (Pat) affected people," Jane Remiger said of seeing the crowd gathered before the football game.