I was driving in Oakville just before 16h00 on Saturday afternoon. I was coming south on Trafalgar Road towards the QEW on the way to Whole Foods Market when I noticed emergency vehicles on the overpass, along with several people standing around looking over the bridge. Sensing something was up, I immediately turned the music off and tuned in to 680 News for the traffic. The traffic report indicated that the motorcade carrying the latest soldier to die in Afghanistan was making its way westbound on the QEW and had just passed Winston Churchill Blvd... Upon hearing this, I immediately turned left onto the next street and parked the car on one of the side streets in the industrial area closest to the highway. I then quickly locked the doors and ran up the hill towards the Trafalgar Road overpass...
The motorcade passed within three minutes of my arrival. I was able to get this one picture from my phone. The hearse is at the bottom left corner...
Now that I have had the experience of standing on an overpass to watch a fallen hero's journey, I will tell you this - hearing it happening is not the same as actually standing there and watching the motorcade pass under you. Something stirs from within you... something deep... This is an awakening. Our Canadian troops and their allies are out there sacrificing their lives for the lives of others who cannot speak up for themselves. They are representing Canada, and the other respective allied nations to fight a war. For all of us here at home, it is easy for us to debate about whether this is all necessary every time another tragedy is announced through the media. For the soldier, this is the last thing on his or her mind. The soldiers are there to serve their country and they do so with pride. They know that there is a chance that the journey home will not be a joyous occasion - but they do it anyway... After the experience, I have remained humble for the evening. In fact, there have been many things that have been going through my mind about life in general.
Watching a Canadian Fallen Soldier's final journey home along the QEW to Port Colbourne - to his final resting place - is a life changing event. It is one of many life changing events but it is the one that will forever be remembered...
I am proud to be Canadian and proud to support the troops...
The motorcade passed within three minutes of my arrival. I was able to get this one picture from my phone. The hearse is at the bottom left corner...
Now that I have had the experience of standing on an overpass to watch a fallen hero's journey, I will tell you this - hearing it happening is not the same as actually standing there and watching the motorcade pass under you. Something stirs from within you... something deep... This is an awakening. Our Canadian troops and their allies are out there sacrificing their lives for the lives of others who cannot speak up for themselves. They are representing Canada, and the other respective allied nations to fight a war. For all of us here at home, it is easy for us to debate about whether this is all necessary every time another tragedy is announced through the media. For the soldier, this is the last thing on his or her mind. The soldiers are there to serve their country and they do so with pride. They know that there is a chance that the journey home will not be a joyous occasion - but they do it anyway... After the experience, I have remained humble for the evening. In fact, there have been many things that have been going through my mind about life in general.
Watching a Canadian Fallen Soldier's final journey home along the QEW to Port Colbourne - to his final resting place - is a life changing event. It is one of many life changing events but it is the one that will forever be remembered...
I am proud to be Canadian and proud to support the troops...
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