Tom Bagley

by **Spider** Wed 22 Apr 2020, 7:17 am

Retired navy vet, firefighter from Norton among
victims of N.S. shooting

April 21. 2020

Veteran and retired firefighter Tom Bagley, who would have turned 71 on Tuesday, was among at least 20 people killed by a gunman who rampaged across rural Nova Scotia last weekend.

When Tom Bagley saw flames and smoke pouring from his neighbour's home in rural West Wentworth, N.S., his reaction was to "go running" toward the fire, said his daughter, Charlene Bagley.

The navy veteran, retired firefighter, and father of three knew a thing or two about saving lives.

Bagley, who grew up in Norton, N.B., "had seen a lot of tragedy and a lot of deaths on ships, bad accidents and the like," said his sister, Mary Karen Creighton.

"If he came across an accident on the road, he'd be the first one out of his truck and helping because he had all the paramedic training."

But that fire at the home of Sean McLeod and Alanna Jenkins would be the last call Bagley would answer.

He was one of more than 20 people killed when a gunman rampaged across the back roads and hamlets of rural Nova Scotia on the weekend in the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history.

Instead of celebrating his 71st birthday on Tuesday, loved ones across New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are mourning Tom Bagley as a hero — a man who ran toward danger to help his friends.

Tom Bagley's Harley Davidson motorcycle - one of his prized possessions, his family said.

Bagley will be cremated, his sister said, with a funeral service to be held in Nova Scotia after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted in the province.

He will be buried in Sackville, N.S., to be closer to his daughter.

As for his legacy, Charlene said, "he will be remembered as a hero."

"That is the overwhelming response that I am getting from people, saying what he meant to them. The way he left us just goes to show how much he really was a hero."

"I am so unbelievably proud. I know he would be proud too."

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