Heritage Park Pavilion was filled with memories, laughter and tears on Wednesday for the celebration of life of long-time paramedic Dallas Boyko.
The 51-year-old primary care paramedic and mother was remembered for her personality, amazing cooking and, most of all, her compassion.
“She is what brought each and every one of us here today,” said Ben Penner, paramedic and EMS chaplain. “Through a lifetime of love, kindness, service and devotion… we’ve all been blessed in knowing her.
“We too were gifted, albeit far too briefly, with this amazing mother, sister, cousin, aunt, friend, colleague, advocate and servant.”
Boyko was on duty early in the morning on Sept. 10, driving an ambulance on Highway 39 near Thorsby, Alta., when RCMP say another vehicle appears to have crossed the centre line and collided head-on with the ambulance.
Both Boyko and the driver of the car died at the scene. Another paramedic was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
“In losing Dallas, there is plenty with which to wrap ourselves in anger, frustration and bitterness,” Penner said. “But if we are genuinely here today and truly here as the recipients and representatives of the kindness, friendship, love and grace afforded to us by Dallas… then we would, in kind, asserted and determinedly, fill our hearts with compassion.”
Boyko worked as a paramedic for 23 years, including periods in Warburg and Stony Plain.
The service was preceded by a full EMS honours procession through the streets of Stony Plain. Ambulances and other emergency vehicles joined the 2.2-kilometre procession, and people stood next to the road to pay their respects.
An urn carrying her remains was transported to Heritage Park Pavilion by ambulance and on a stretcher.
During the service, several colleagues shared memories of Boyko, describing her “remarkable” and “truly exemplary service.”
“No one was a bigger giver than Dallas,” Graham McAllister said. “Every patient and every family was treated with the same compassion and empathy regardless of their circumstances.”
Boyko leaves behind her 14-year-old son Arden, as well as her brother Dusty, and nephew Nash.
“As proud as Dallas was to be a paramedic, her friends say this pride was dwarfed by her pride of being a mom,” McAllister said, before addressing Arden directly.
“Thank you for sharing your mom with us.
“Thank you Arden, and please leave here knowing that every EMS professional in this room will remember your mom as a hero forever.”
The service included stories of Boyko’s tight bond with her paramedic partners, her “we’ve got this” mindset and her colourful language.
She kept a clean ambulance, colleagues said, and gave the best hugs.
Penner said the EMS community lost a cornerstone with Boyko’s passing.
She was a teacher and a mentor with strong work ethic, EMT supervisor Mark Lowry said.
“Her greatest strength was her compassion,” he said, adding Boyko went above and beyond to make patients and their families as comfortable as possible.
Boyko mentored hundreds of students and new staff, AHS said as part of its online condolence page. She was awarded the 12-year provincial service medal and earned “countless commendations from patients, families, peers and supervisors.”
A quote from Boyko was included in the program for the service. It read: “Be kind to others, appreciate what you have and remember — family is everything.”
“Bring a little Dallas with you on your shift,” Lowry said. “That way we can start to balance the loss and spread some of the compassion Dallas had.”
Her brother Dusty shared an emotional address at the service.
“There are certain people in the world who can never be replaced and Dallas was one of them,” he said.
“She was my hero.”
The family has established a fund for Boyko’s 14-year-old son Arden. Donations can be made by sending an e-transfer to inmemoryofdallasboyko@gmail.com.