Family, friends and fellow firefighters remembered Kevin Criss this morning as a dedicated family man who loved his son “more than life itself” and a good firefighter who loved his job.

Criss, 31, of Wellington, was killed overnight when he wrecked his motorcycle in Carlisle Township.

Criss was riding a 2001 Yamaha R-1 motorcycle south on Indian Hollow Road about two-tenths of a mile south of Elbert Drive at about 11:15 p.m. when he lost control on a curve, according to the State Highway Patrol.

He went off the west side of the road and struck a sign and a guardrail, the patrol said. The motorcycle then went airborne and struck an embankment, and Criss was thrown from the bike.

Avon Fire Chief Frank Root III said he went to paramedic school at Lorain County Community College with Criss, and they both graduated in 2000.

“Shortly after I took over as chief, I interviewed him for a position,” Root said. “I was quite happy to have the chance to hire him.

“He won over the rest of the interview panel with his excellent demeanor and personality. He was our overwhelming choice for the hire.”

Criss started with the department in June 2006, Root said.

“Once hired, he proved to be exemplary employee — very dedicated, very knowledgeable,” Root said. “When someone becomes a firefighter, you never know how well they’re going to handle fires — it’s kind of different compared to emergency medical care. Kevin was tremendous at that also.”

Avon Fire Lt. Matt Rosenberger said he was good friends with Criss and had worked with him for about three years.

Before Criss joined the Avon Fire Department, he worked for LifeCare, he said.

“A lot of people in the county knew him,” Rosenberger said. “He was well-liked, good at his job and experienced. He will be sorely missed.”

Root said Criss was a decorated veteran and received awards for his bravery, including a letter of commendation for efforts at the Lorain County Community College fire in early 2009.

“He went into the tunnel not once but three times, facing tremendous heat and fire to help Elyria extinguish the fire,” Root said.

Criss was described as well-liked and loved, an “awesome, sports-loving guy” and “very family oriented.”

Criss, a Firelands High graduate, was married to Rhianna and had a young son, Coltin, who is 2.

According to family and friends, he loved his son “more than life itself” and loved being a firefighter.

Criss’ hobbies included bowling and playing softball, and he had just played in the Avon firefighters vs. police softball game at All Pro Freight Stadium to support breast cancer research last weekend.

According to Root, Criss started at left field and hit a home run to help the firefighters win 26-12. Criss also made some good defensive plays, Root said.

“I like to play myself, but when you watch a young man with his finesse and grace, you get a different appreciation for the sport,” Root said.

Fellow firefighter and paramedic John Gansor left after his shift this morning to visit Criss’ crash site, where he draped an Avon Fire Department T-shirt.

He said he worked with Criss on the B Shift Sunday, which was the last time he saw him. He called Criss a “jokester,” “a really good guy to be around” and a “tremendous human being.”

Gansor said firefighters found out about Criss’ death about 12:30 last night.

He called Criss a “tremendous husband and father.” He recalled Criss taking a ball to his son in the stands at Saturday’s softball game.

Root said Criss was a “tremendous motorcycle rider” and said he’d watched videotape Criss had brought in of some of his stunts.

“He was very accomplished,” Root said. “He had applied to be a stunt rider for Disney.”

Root said he wasn’t familiar with how safe of a rider Criss was but said in the times he’d ridden his bike to work “I never saw him pull out without a helmet on.”

Criss was valued for his EMS background, Root said, adding he was “one of the guys you wanted with you” if you had a call with serious injuries.

Criss’ firefighter number — 504 — will be retired, Root said. Other than that, he said, “We’re going to get through this. We’re going to help his family all we can and try to heal ours.”

“We’re pretty shaken up,” Root said of the department, “but we’re going to hold our own. We’re a pretty young and vibrant department, and Kevin epitomized that.”

According to Gansor, Criss was “just a super, super nice guy.”

“You couldn’t ask for a better friend, a better coworker … he’ll never be forgotten,” he said.

It is unknown at this time whether alcohol played a role in the crash or whether Criss was wearing a helmet, the Highway Patrol said.

Check back at Chroniclet.com for more on this story as it becomes available.

Contact Rona Proudfoot at 329-7124 or rproudfoot@chroniclet.com.