Matthew Bashaw Memorial Fund

Matthew Bashaw, 27, was vacationing with friends at the Colorado River in Arizona when he died unexpectedly. Matthew was attempting to retrieve a boat anchor that was stuck in the mud; when he did not surface as quickly as expected, his friends--many of whom are City of Anaheim Firefighters--pulled him unresponsive from the water and initiated CPR. Through resuscitation efforts Matt regained a pulse; however, he ultimately did not survive his injuries. With the goal of becoming a career municipal firefighter, Matthew had recently graduated paramedic school at Victor Valley College, successfully passed his NREMT exam, and had already landed his first job as a Paramedic. Like many other local aspiring firefighters, Matthew began his pursuit of a fire service career as a fire explorer. He then served as a paid-call firefighter for SBCoFD before becoming one of the original members of the Old Cajon Crew 6, San Bernardino County Fire's all-risk hand crew, where he held the position of sawyer. This experience ultimately led him to earning employment with the United States Forest Service, serving the San Bernardino National Forest as a wildland firefighter.Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Bashaw family as they are left to deal with this tragic loss. There are no words to describe their pain. The family of Matthew Bashaw is asking for donations to the Matt Bashaw Memorial Fund. All proceeds will be given to various charities and non-profit organizations that will help preserve his memory. No donation is too small.