Remembrance is an everyday thing for the family of Cpl. Darren Fitzpatrick.
Nov. 11 is when Canadians mark the end of the First World War, but Jim and Colleen Fitzpatrick have spent every day since March 20 in the wake of remembrance. That was the day their son, 21, succumbed to injuries sustained in a bomb blast in Afghanistan where he had been serving as an infantryman with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based at CFB Edmonton.
This is the first Remembrance Day to take that into account. Fitzpatrick was the 141st military casualty of Canada's mission in Afghanistan. (A diplomat and journalist, former Prince George newspaper reporter Michelle Lang, were also killed there.)
Jim and Colleen, their sons Sean and Mike, and Fitzpatrick's entire circle of loved ones have been dedicated, since his sacrifice, to forwarding this young man's service to country. The first military funeral in Prince George history was held in his honour. A bursary was established in his name for a student of School District 57. Most notably, a fundraising dinner was held in Fitzpatrick's name to raise money for that fund, and the Civic Centre was brimming with military guests and civilian supporters who came to show their respect.
"It really showed our two sons the amount of community support out there," said Colleen. "They saw all that outpouring in the room."
"He taught me a lot when he was alive and he is still teaching me a lot," said Jim. "One of the things he taught me was the true meaning of community and compassion and support."
"You could sense the compassion in that (Civic Centre) room, it was amazing to feel," said Colleen. "It think the community wanted to show support right away but didn't know how and this gave everyone that chance."
The Fitzpatricks have had messages and letters from all over Canada, some from strangers moved by their loss. They were even flown to Toronto to travel the Highway of Heroes as so many fallen service men and women do, when their bodies are repatriated to Canada.
In aid of the fundraiser event, donations from Air Canada, Westjet, the Blue Jays, the Canucks organization, The Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions, Solicitor General Rich Coleman, Don Cherry's office, and many other businesses and organizations. When all was done, close to $50,000 was generated to stock the scholarship fund.
"People wanted to be involved and wanted to show their respects," said the event's volunteer organizer Shawn Rice. "Before the event starts you are stressed, you are busy, you are worried about how many people will come, but just to see how the community came together and how the family was excited and overwhelmed by it was, for me, a great relief. CN Rail was just amazing with us, sponsoring our dinner and providing incredible support all the way along, and the support we got from the Honorable Shirley Bond and the Honorable Pat Bell was overwhelming as well, they really stepped up for us in very personal ways."
"I know it is the community's money but it feels very special to us that it is a way for Darren to keep giving back to his community for years and years," Colleen said.
Not to be forgotten, among the waves of support, was the contributions of the Canadian military organization, the Fitzpatricks said.
"We now feel a part of the military family given the incredible support they've provided," said Jim.
"We asked that they put the focus on Darren and keep that at the front, to honour him, and we would have to say they have done that all along. Everything we ever asked of them, they have done," agreed Colleen.
Rice said the clarity and composure of the Fitzpatrick family might have something to do with the willingness of everyone touched by this incident and their son.
"You never want to do any of this because it means something sad happened, but it was easy to help because you aren't just honouring a memory, you are helping people. It was an honour to be a part of that, for this amazing family the Fitzpatricks. I can't say enough about them, they are a strong family."
They must call upon that strength again as Remembrance Day takes its place in the city's heart on Thursday when the community gathers again at the cenotaph at City Hall to remember our fallen, our heroes, our Darren Fitzpatrick.
