Family and friends are mourning a LaSalle man who died from apparent dehydration while on vacation earlier this month.
Jeff Burns, 45, died unexpectedly on Aug.5. His funeral service was last Monday at Families First funeral home in Windsor.
"I think obviously initially it was very hard on the family because not only because it was so sudden, but because Jeff was such a family-oriented guy," says his cousin Frank Jeney.
Burns worked for Injection Technologies as a materials manager. His online obituary says he was respected by all of his peers and was always a helpful hand to anyone in need.
"He had been in the sun quite a bit working, helping out a friend with a backyard project some home building,” says Jeney. “When he got home, he wasn't feeling right and from there just kind of escalated to having breathing troubles. He was taken in, they couldn't locate the problem and it just got worse."
Jeney says Frank - "His friends and family were the first things, whether you saw him once a day or saw him once a year it was always the same greeting."
Jeney says his cousin passed away from rhabdomyolysis, which sometimes is caused by severe dehydration.
It's the breakdown of muscle tissue that leads to the release of harmful muscle fiber contents into the bloodstream, damaging the kidneys.
Burns enjoyed coaching baseball, watching his son Josh play football, fishing with his daughter Rylee and spending time with his wife of 25 years, Sherry.
Staff at Injection Technologies set up an education fund for his daughter’s education. To donate, a cheque made out to Sherry Burns can be sent to Injection Technologies at 4350 Industrial Dr., Windsor, Ont., N9C 3R8.
