Keanu Rhune Blumenthal, 21, of Carson City, NV passed late Thursday evening, January 9th 2025, immediately following injuries sustained by a single vehicle semi truck accident while crossing the highway on U.S. Route 97, approximately 10 miles north east of Madras, Oregon.
Keanu was born in 2003 in Gardnerville, Nevada where he grew up and attended Douglas High School. He was always very athletic and enjoyed playing football, along with various other sports.
Keanu became interested in Wildland Fire after he spoke with USFS 316 Assistant Captain: Stanley Smith about joining Tri-State Fire for the upcoming fire season.
After months of hard work, dedication and determination, he graduated from Tri-State Fire’s advanced wildland fire academy. Keanu Blumenthal was employed by Tri-State Fire as a FF2 Wildland Firefighter where he tested his physical abilities and enjoyed training with his fellow crew members.
Keanu took on Tri-State and Pierce Fire’s culture of competition, competitiveness and embraced it by striving to break the performance records set by previous and current fire fighters. He was always pushing himself beyond his limits and enjoying every minute of it! During this time in his career, he retained a vast amount of knowledge in training and on the many fires he was assigned to as a firefighter and as a public servant.
Keanu found his true calling where he enjoyed performing various different tasks such as hiking, running, mobile attacks, pull and pukes, burn operations, multiple variations of hose lays on initial attacks, handline construction and running a chainsaw on projects and while on wildland fire incidents. Keanu fit right in with his wildland fire family, enjoying many laughs and good times.
Keanu had a lot of respect and honored the authority of his captains and instructors who had invested a great deal of time into him in fire and in life! A special thank you and appreciation goes to: Jon Pierce, Markus Oesterling, Stanley Smith, Isaiah Ruybal, Chip Froberg, Bryce Meffert, David Ortega, Evan Sousa, Victor Ortiz, Gerardo Gonzalez and Quintyn Madsen.
Keanu also valued his friendship with his boxing coaches: Jon Pierce and Keith McMurray who mentored him and believed in him.
We at Tri-State Fire and Pierce Fire, along with the Wildland Fire Community are truly grateful for Keanu’s hard work, dedication and service in Wildland Fire. He will be truly missed by the Wildland Fire Community, but never forgotten! May the Lord our God keep you and R.I.P. our friend and brother.
Memorial and celebration of life will be held on Sunday, February 15, 2025 at 2:00pm at:
Carson City Boxing Club
3579 US-50 #219
Carson City, NV 89701