Founding Families

Louise Thewlis-Merko, Executive Director

Louise is the widow of Brampton Firefighter, Dave Thewlis, who died in 2018, and mother of two daughters. Motivated by her family’s experience with Oakville’s Lighthouse for Grieving Children, Louise pursued a certificate from Wilfred Laurier University’s Social Work Program in Death, Dying and Bereavement. Louise believes in the power of community, intention and empathy to help facilitate healing from places of grief.

“Our lives changed forever in that moment, and I knew I had to search for and accept any offers of help for my girls and myself. Some of the most meaningful work I did was in groups where we could share and learn from others facing similar situations. Having people who truly understand the unique grief of losing a First Responder is a relief and creates bonds that help you through the toughest times. My healing journey continues, and now remarried with a blended family, I’m honoured to facilitate similar experiences for others.” – Louise Thewlis-Merko

Mike Merko, President & Chair

Michael (Mike) Merko’s career includes over 28 years of distinguished service as a paramedic professional with 18 years serving as a frontline paramedic. Mike has provided paramedic services in Halton Region, Peel Region and Middlesex-London. His career has also included providing critical care air ambulance services with Ornge, Canadian Global Air Ambulance and Paladin Air Ambulance. He has served in multiple leadership positions from supervisor/superintendent to Deputy Chief of Operations. As Operations Chief of the Ontario Emergency Medical Assistance Team (EMAT), Mike provided leadership as the Incident Commander at several high-profile incidents.

Sarah Routhier-Clark, Executive Director

Sarah is the widow of OPP Sgt. Sylvain Routhier who died because of the line of duty in July 2018. Following her personal loss, Sarah turned her experience into action, founding the Sylvain Routhier Memorial Foundation to advance mental health awareness and hand out scholarships to young people entering careers as first responders.  She is the award-winning author of Don’t Forget Your Roots, recognized by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Friends of the Heritage Committee, and is a powerful keynote speaker known for her authentic and motivating presentations.

Sarah is a dynamic leader, educator, and advocate with a deep passion for mental health, community building, and supporting frontline families. She holds diplomas in Recreation and Leisure Services and Business Administration and spent 15 years in municipal recreation as an Aquatics Coordinator.

Sarah has shared her knowledge and leadership from teaching at Fanshawe College, Georgian College, and Loyalist College, inspiring future leaders in recreation and business fields. Sarah also co-founded and owned My Sister’s Boutique, earning a nomination for the Quinte Business Achievement Awards in the New Business of the Year category.

 Her volunteerism reflects her strong community commitment, having contributed to organizations like the Canadian Red Cross, OPP Beyond the Blue, and Wounded Warriors Canada. Sarah is also an active member of the OPP Commissioner’s Mental Health Advisory Group and has played a key role in the creation of the OPP Suicide Memorial.

Sarah’s dedication has been recognized with numerous honors, including being nominated for an Ontario Premier’s Award, the House of Commons excellent community service award, and accolades for her leadership in mental health and community service.

“Networking with other first responder survivors has been a profound and transformative part of our grief journey, impacting both myself and my children in ways we never expected. Connecting with others who have experienced similar losses has given us a sense of belonging and understanding that is difficult to find elsewhere. It has reminded us that we are not alone in our pain and that there is a community of people who truly understand the unique challenges of losing a loved one who was a first responder. In many ways, these connections have turned our grief into purpose, reminding us that even in loss, we can find strength together.” – Sarah Routhier-Clark