Firefighter surfers and friends alike gathered together at Cowell's beach on Tuesday January 23 to honor our fallen brother with a traditional surfer's paddle out memorial service. Starting with a moment of silence on the beach, 28 firefighters, family and friends, all wearing flowered leis, launched surfboards from the popular Santa Cruz surfing beach and paddled to a position just off lighthouse point at a surfing spot know as Indicators where Lance and his sons and friends often surfed. There the group formed a circle, keeping it closed by holding hands and remembered Lance to each other by spoken word.

Brothers Craig Johnson and Danny Cortazzo organized the event, with CJ making the location arrangements and notifications and Danny acting as the event director on the beach and in the water. It was a moving and healing experience for all who attended. After forming the circle and sharing with each other about Lance, everyone commended Lance to the sea. After tossing our leis into the center of the circle a celebration of splashing, hooting and general thankfulness for the time we were allowed to share with our fallen brother capped the service. As the circle of friends slowly drifted apart, many spent a moment of silence in the huddle of leis that floated silently in the peaceful sea. The sky was dazzling, the wind gentle and everyone felt Lance's smiling presence with us there.