Calgary security guard remembered as hard-working father figure

George Fernandez's nephew, Gian Mabborang, says his uncle was a hard-working man who did all he could to provide for his family, especially his 15-year-old cousin, Fernandez's daughter, Margarette.

Police say Fernandez, a 73-year-old security guard, died trying to stop a Calgary woman from allegedly stealing packages from an office lobby in March. The 45-year-old woman has been charged with manslaughter in relation to his death.

Fernandez's death, along with the death of an on-duty security guard in Edmonton, has prompted calls from an Ontario security guard association for improved oversight of the profession.

Fernandez, the eldest of seven siblings, had a witty personality and would often joke with those close to him, Mabborang says. But Fernandez was also eager to share the wisdom he'd gained from life.

Mabborang adds that his uncle was the glue that always brought his family together.

"At 73, he was still working — I think that was two jobs — just to provide for Margarette and give her the future that she wants and she needs and she deserves," Mabborang said.

Fernandez, was like a second father to him and his cousins, Mabborang added. Fernandez took care of Mabborang when he first moved to Calgary, giving him a place to stay before he found an apartment to rent.

"All of my cousins and all of the young people will always call him 'Daddy George.' So he was really a father figure. He really looks out [for] everyone and will reach out to everyone if they need help. Just he's one message away," Mabborang said.

Mabborang adds that since Fernandez's death, he often talks to a framed photo of him that he keeps in his apartment.

"If I'm going to leave the house, [I say] 'Dad... watch over the place while I'm gone,'" he said.

An eight-year veteran of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Fernandez wished to be buried in a veterans' cemetery of the country he served. Mabborang says he is in the process of ensuring his uncle's remains are brought back to the Philippines to fulfil that wish.

Following Fernandez's death, the Security Guard Association of Ontario increased its calls for more government oversight of security guards.

The association says it's noticed an uptick in incidents around Ontario over the past five years where security guards are either killed or injured while on duty. Paul Carson, chairperson of the Security Guard Association of Ontario, is pushing for government ministries in his province to get more involved when those incidents happen.

"We believe that the same holds true for Alberta," Carson said.