Family, friends, first responders honor life of Okolona fire captain who drowned on fishing trip

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Family, friends and first responders honored the life of a Louisville area fire captain who drowned during a fishing trip last week.

Visitation and memorial services were held Friday for Okolona Fire Capt. Chris Berry.

The 35-year-old died after falling overboard just before 1 a.m. last Wednesday, June 18, at Dale Hollow Lake in Tennessee while on a camping and fishing trip with friends.

Officials said the group Berry was with had taken their bass boat out for night fishing, when Berry reportedly stumbled and fell overboard. Despite attempts to reach Berry, officers with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) said he "could not be reached."

Crews recovered Berry's body later that morning around 8:30 a.m. in 72 feet of water, TWRA officials said.

A nine-year veteran of the Okolona Fire Protection District, Berry's body was brought home to Louisville last Friday afternoon. A procession of family, friends, and his fellow firefighters lined the route to welcome him home.

According to Okolona Fire Chief Mark Little, Berry began his career in fire service in 2011 as a volunteer firefighter with the Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District. In 2013, he became a career firefighter with McMahan Fire Protection District before joining Okolona in 2016.

Little said Berry was a member of specialized rescue teams at the department, including Hazmat, Swift Water Rescue, Confined Space Rescue and Rope Rescue.

In 2018, Berry was honored with the Okolona Fire Department's Fire Life Saver Award. That same year, he received the Unit Citation for the first time, and a second time in 2023, "for his outstanding service."

Little said Berry leaves behind a wife of six years, his biological parents, a stepfather, a sister, a mother- and father-in-law and "an extensive" fire and EMS family.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a fund set up by the Lesley & Rhyan Prather Foundation to help support Berry's family. Donations can be made by clicking here.

To read Berry's obituary, click here.

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