Homer rallies around deceased Coast Guard member’s family
By Renee Gross
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February 4, 2019
Now, Homer residents and the local Coast Guard community are rallying around Kozloski’s family. He is survived by his wife and four children.
Homer resident Mary Jo Cambridge started a GoFundMe page to help out. She owns a local gym, which Kozloski attended, and she also coached his daughters in softball.
“He was just a giver and a great guy and easy going person with just a wonderful smile, just a great man,” she said. “It's a huge loss for his family. They're a beautiful, young family, and he was a man who adored his family and was very involved with them and it's just a tragedy.”
As of Monday afternoon, the page raised nearly $15,000 for Kozloski’s wife.
“So I just thought if we could get close to $25,000, that will help her immediately,” she said. “That money will be available to her within a few days. It will go right to her, all of it.”
Dan Cole is the commander of the Homer Coast Guard auxiliary and he says there are many ways residents can donate to Kozloski’s family, including donations through the Chief Petty Officers Association of Alaska. For those who wish to donate in person, there’s also a Brie Kozloski Memorial Fund account open at Wells Fargo.
He adds that community members are also delivering meals to the family.
“The Coast Guard auxiliary has talked directly with Brie Kozloski, Mike Kozloski’s wife, and offered whatever services she needs: childcare, snowplowing, laundry, food and financial services,” he said.
The community is hosting a couple of fundraisers for the family this weekend as well.
The Homer Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with other local organizations will host a barbecue at the Homer Volunteer Fire Department after Homer’s winter carnival parade Saturday.
Money raised was originally intended for Coast Guard members recovering from the federal government shutdown. But Cole says money will now go to Kozloski’s family.
“The American Legion and Coast Guard Auxiliary are going to assist with grilling hot dogs and hamburgers,” he said. “We encourage people to come down and get a free hot dog. But donations are welcome going to the Kozloski family.”
Paul Banks Elementary School is hosting a carnival from 1-3 p.m. Saturday. All proceeds will be donated to Kozloski’s family.
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A crew member of the Coast Guard cutter Hickory died in an industrial accident in Homer on Thursday.
The crew member died after being struck Thursday by a crane that rolled over.
The Coast Guard identified the crew member as Chief Warrant Officer, Michael Kozloski, 35, from Mahopac, New York.
Homer Volunteer Fire Department emergency medical technicians responded to the crane accident shortly before 2 p.m., the Homer News reported. The crane tipped over in a buoy yard for the Hickory. Kozloski was working the buoy yard, the Coast Guard said.
Medics treated and transported the victim to South Peninsula Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the Coast Guard said.
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The Coast Guard has identified the chief warrant officer who died after being injured in a Thursday crane accident in Homer, Alaska.
Local emergency medical services personnel performed CPR on CWO2 Michael Kozloski and rushed him to South Peninsula Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Coast Guard officials say.
He was 35 and had served more than 17 years in the Coast Guard, most of that time as a boatswain’s mate, said Public Affairs Specialist 1st Class Jon-Paul Rios in Juneau.
“The incident is still being investigated,” Rios told Navy Times.
Originally from Mahopac, New York, Kozloski was assigned to the cutter Hickory.
Nicknamed "The Bull of the North,” the 225-foot, sea-going buoy tender is homeported in Homer, a fishing community on the Kenai Peninsula about 122 miles southwest of Anchorage.
The Coast Guard’s 2018 Register of Officers shows that Kozloski received his warrant effective June 1, 2017.
“It’s with great sadness that we announce the passing of a devoted shipmate, husband and father following this tragic accident,” said Rear Adm. Matthew T. Bell Jr., Coast Guard 17th District commander, in a written statement emailed to Navy Times.
“Chief Warrant Officer Kozloski faithfully served his country for over 17 years and we are forever grateful for his steadfast devotion to duty and sacrifices.”
It’s the second Coast Guard death in Alaska this week.
Seaman Ethan Kelch, 19, was declared dead Sunday morning in Dutch Harbor, where the cutter Douglas Munro was awaiting repairs.
His death also is under investigation.
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Coast Guard releases name of crane accident victim
by Megan Pacer
Saturday, February 2, 2019
A crew member of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hickory died in an industrial accident on the Homer Spit on Thursday.
The man was fatally injured when a crane rolled over and hit him. Chief Warrant Officer Michael Kozloski of Mahopac, New York was 35 years old.
Homer Volunteer Fire Department emergency medical technicians responded to the crane accident on Thursday afternoon in the buoy yard for the Hickory. A large crane tipped over near the Pioneer Dock. Medics treated Kozloski and took him to South Peninsula Hospital, where he died, according to a press release from the Coast Guard.
“It’s with great sadness that we announce the passing of a devoted shipmate, husband and father following this tragic accident,” said Rear Adm. Matthew T. Bell Jr., Coast Guard 17th District commander in the release. “Chief Warrant Officer Kozloski faithfully served his country for over 17 years and we are forever grateful for his steadfast devotion to duty and sacrifices.”
The Coast Guard was able to release Kozloski’s name now that his family has been notified. The accident is being investigated, according to the Coast Guard.
This is the second time a member of the Coast Guard has died in Alaska within a week. A crewman from Virginia was found dead last Sunday on Amaknak Island. He had been assigned to a cutter that was stopped in Dutch Harbor.