Canada has now lost 142 soldiers in the war-torn country of Afghanistan since the mission began in 2002.
Pte. Tyler William Todd, age 26, will be coming home today. He was killed by an IED (improvised explosive device).
Now, I’m not particularly political. And there are many opinions about whether these guys & girls should even be there in the first place or not. But the reason I mention this is because I am incredibly proud about what happens when these soldiers come home.
I think those of us in Canada are all well aware of what goes down, but I really wanted to share this with my International readers.
The soldiers, regardless of where they’re from, land and are repatriated at the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, Ontario and travel west along Highway 401 into Toronto for an autopsy before being returned to their family for burial. Wikipedia describes this route best;
“On 24 August 2007, the Ministry of Transportation announced that the stretch of Highway 401 between Trenton, ON and the intersection of the Don Valley Parkway and Highway 404, in Toronto, would bear the additional name Highway of Heroes, in honour of Canada’s fallen soldiers (notably those who died on duty in Afghanistan). This length of the freeway is often traveled by a convoy of vehicles carrying a fallen soldier’s body, with his or her family, from CFB Trenton to the coroner’s office at the Centre for Forensic Sciences in Toronto, and since 2002, when the first of Canada’s fallen soldiers were returned from Afghanistan, crowds from communities along this part of the 401 lined the overpasses to pay their respects as convoys passed.”
This particular stretch of Highway passes right through my town. It is also the stretch of Highway I drive to and from work every day. So I have been witness to such sad convoys many a time. Too many perhaps.
As I’m sitting in my car on the way home from work is usually about the time the convoys go through on the opposite side of the highway. And you can’t miss it. First, several local police cruisers pave the way with their lights flashing. Then several black sedans carrying military personnel. Then the hearse. Or two. Or three. Then several black stretch limousines carrying the family members of each soldier. Followed up by a few more black sedans and local police cruisers. It’s a big convoy.
And of course it affects you. It’s someone’s son or daughter in there. It’s a family in mourning. And as they pass by, it really hits home and becomes very real.
But it’s what happens above that never ceases to amaze and impress me. Almost every bridge that this convoy passes under during it’s 2 – 3 hour drive is covered with crowds of people. EVERY time. All waving hands and flags in support. And in thanks. For the sacrifice these families have made. It’s very emotional. And I can’t help but get teary every single time.
The following pictures are what the families in those black stretch limousines see as they make that drive. It’s really a lovely tribute.
(all images via Google)
I wish we didn’t even have to do this.
But since we do, I just wanted you to know how we do it – Canadian style.
19 Responses to “Doing it Canadian Style – Yet Again”
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April 14th, 2010 at 4:46 am
I am a little bit teary eyed right now (thanks for that), but I have to say, I am proud to be a Canadian!!!!!
April 14th, 2010 at 6:09 am
It’s great the lengths you guys go to.
Especially after 140 odd have fallen. Here in Australia we might do it for the first few and then be like “Another one? But we just went down there a fortnight ago”
We haven’t lost many soldiers in the war, and I don’t know what happened to the ones we lost. They don’t go into that.
Cher
Replied:
April 14th, 2010 at 8:42 am
In fact, support for this trend of lining the bridges is GROWING as time goes on. At first there were only a few people. But now the bridges are overflowing and you have to arrive early to get a spot.
April 14th, 2010 at 8:03 am
I too have seen the convoy of cars pass by and feel just like you. I’m not usually one to get teary but this show of support does bring tears to my eyes. We can’t bring our troops home soon enough. Proud to be “Canadian”.
April 14th, 2010 at 11:47 am
So sad, but so wonderful that all those people gather there to pay their respects to your fallen heroes.
I live and work very near the cemetery where fallen law enforcement is buried. Whenever there is a police funeral, the highway shuts down for a huge caravan and the overpasses are covered in American flags. This reminds me a lot of that, although I’m not sure how many actual civilians gather for these funerals.
April 14th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Oh my goodness…gave me tears in my eyes. That is really amazing. My husband was deployed to Iraq twice and although a few of the people he went with didn’t make it back, I’m not even sure what the process is like in the US.
April 14th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
That’s amazing. I’m glad that you guys support your troops and their sacrifice.
April 14th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Wow – that choked me up a little. What a nice thing to see and to know that someone appreciates the sacrifice your family made. I don’t know what happens here when they bring soldiers home. Certainly not this. But I just got an email from my cousin. There was a firefighter who was very involved in the community that died during an arson fire a few months back. They had a memorial for him today and she said there were thousands of people there. In the middle of a workday. That’s a nice tribute to him.
April 14th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
This just gave me chills. So much of what they do goes unnoticed here and we have multiple bases around my area. We do a lot when they leave, but nothing like this when they return, however that may be. Sad.
April 14th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Man, that totally made me tear up. What an amazing special thing. They deserve that… and so much more. Thanks for sharing, friend.
April 14th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
It’s sad and also amazing that they do that.
April 14th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Wow. That is incredible! Got me a little teary eyed.
April 14th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Wow Cher! Just wow! That was so beautiful and emotional.
April 14th, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Beautiful post. And a beautiful practice, albeit incredibly heartbreaking.
April 15th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Makes me cry everytime I see it, sad for the fallen soldiers but so proud to see the flag waving on every jam packed overpass from Toronto to Ajax where I get off the highway!!
April 15th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
CANADA ROCKS!
THIS is how to honor our fallen – that crap Rev Wackaloon from Kansas is doing with his dumbass protests is absolute bullshit. We Americans should really pay attention to our northern neighbors, you guys manage to do most everything right.
April 16th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
I read this on iPod from bed the other night and just started getting all teary and really didn’t even know what to say. And besides, I didn’t really want to tap-tap-tap it out on my iPod with my index finger, anyway. So, I didn’t. But you know this hits close to home for me. I think you all should be so proud of yourselves for the support that your country openly shows for its troops. I wish we did that. I’m not sure how it is in D.C. (where, if anything, that would likely happen) but here in Bluegrass Country it’s just a quick mention on the news or a blurb in the paper. In fact, I was never so happy as when they opened up the coverage of the returning caskets to the press again. I think the American public needs to see that there is a price paid…even if they aren’t paying it. There is a family that this soldier leaves behind and the American public needs to see that. Otherwise, they’re just at the mall like they’ve always been. We were talking about this at a Military Wives meeting I was at last night…about how a lot of people just don’t get it. And how hard it is to listen to your friends bitch about their husbands when yours may never come home. They just don’t get it. But obviously, you all do. Way to represent, Canada!!!
April 18th, 2010 at 11:59 am
Wow I just teared up. That’s beautiful!
April 22nd, 2010 at 6:42 pm
That is really beautiful!