Princeton EMT Michael Kenwood Laid to Rest

Princeton EMT Michael Kenwood was laid to rest in Paramus on Wednesday afternoon, three days after he attempted a water rescue during Hurricane Irene.

"He was doing what he was trained for, was dedicated to and loved," Sheila Kenwood Lobel, Michael’s mother, said at the funeral.

She said her son was adventurous and intelligent.

Besides friends and family, first responders from across the state turned out to say goodbye to one of their own.

Local rescue workers have expressed their condolences for the tragedy and admiration for Kenwood’s heroic actions.

"We were really saddened by his loss, Mike was our IT consultant and he had indelible links to our organization," Kingston Fire Chief Lloyd Mathis said this week. "But we're so proud of his dedication and sacrifice as an EMT."

It was early Sunday when Kenwood and a fellow EMT from Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad responded to Rosedale Road in Princeton in an attempt to reach a flooded car.

Kenwood and his colleague were separated by the water’s current and the next time the colleague saw Kenwood, he was face-down in the water.

He had been submerged for more than five minutes, his mother said.

Kenwood was admitted to the intensive care unit at the University Medical Center in Princeton, but died the next day. Kenwood, 39, lived in East Windsor where he owned Kenwood Technical Consulting.

He leaves behind a wife and three-year-old daughter. 

To make a donation in Kenwood's honor to the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad, send a check to PFARS 237 North Harrison Street, Princeton, NJ 08540 or make an online donation here. 

Volunteer firefighters and fire apparatus from Lawrence Township and Morrisville, Pa., have stood by at Princeton Fire Department Headquarters throughout the day Wednesday to answer fire calls in Princeton Borough and Princeton Township so that Princeton firefighters could attend Kenwood's funeral.