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Staff Lt. Michael Alenko (b. 2123, Penticton, BC) was the son of Major Alexei and Natalia Alenko, also of Penticton. A pilot and flight instructor, he served with the Alliance Navy and the Naval Reserve.

Returning to active duty after the Reaper attack on Vancouver , Michael was killed in action during an attempted evacuation of noncombatants from Canadian military facilities.

Well-known among his peers as the dedicated proprietor of a family-owned orchard and vineyard in the Okanagan Valley, he never lost touch with the land and the trees and was often found working alongside the pruning and harvest crews.

He is survived by his wife Elena and their son Kaidan, and by his sister Lea Fraser and niece Isla Fraser MacInnes.

Michael was a loving husband and a wonderful father and is greatly missed.

A private memorial will be held at the orchard. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation of time or resources to one of the organizations providing assistance to the orphans of this war.

Elena

It's a crisp fall afternoon, sunbeams slanting through the trees, some of which still bear unharvested fruit. My family has gathered near the edge of the orchard.

Kaidan and John did the digging to prepare the soil for the apple tree we're going to plant. It's late in the season, but we picked a variety that will thrive.

Kaidan's arm is around my shoulders as John steadies the young tree in preparation for filling in the soil around the roots.

Taking a deep breath, I begin.

"We've gathered here to plant a living memorial to Michael Alenko... and share memories."

Isla

"My uncle Michael was a father to me. I don't remember enough about my own dad to think about him as doing dad things.

"He's the one who taught me to fish and sail a boat... was even brave enough to teach me to drive.

"He was there at all those childhood milestones – track meets, graduations, dance recitals... and he didn't laugh at the clumsy butterfly I was.

"He and Mom walked me down the aisle at my wedding. Before the music started, he whispered that he wished my dad could see me so happy.

"I loved him so much."

John

"I wish I could have met Michael Alenko.

"As an Alliance soldier, his service record speaks for itself. He gave his life in defending the Alliance, his homeland, and his family.

"But he was more than a soldier. He was a husband, a brother, a father. And I don't need to have met him to know that he was a damn good father. I know how much his unwavering support meant to his son. And I've heard the smile in Kaidan's voice when he talked about them sharing a beer, looking out over English Bay.

"He lives in those memories."

Kaidan

"I'm not sure what to say. He was my dad.

"Throughout my life he was there for me, even when I tried to push him away. It couldn't have been easy trying to provide a normal life for a kid like me. And I'm sure it got worse later, when I didn't really know who or what I was.

"But I wanted to be like him. Strong, gentle, with amazing integrity and a big heart. He accepted me – all of me – and I wanted him to be proud of his only son.

"This tree is so I don't have to say goodbye."

Elena

"Michael was my first and only love.

"As long as I've known him, he never put himself first. He worried about the soldiers he led, became a surrogate dad to his sister's child, and the best father our son could ever have had.

"He loved this land and these trees and had deep roots here. This city girl saw it through his eyes and fell in love with it too. We had such happy years.

"When war threatened his whole world, he had to respond. He brought me here to safety and went to serve.

"He lives on, here and in my heart."