Decked out in their red Support Our Troops T-shirts, Colleen and Jim Fitzpatrick blended in with a small crowd of about 50 who took part in Saturday's Walk of Honour on a beautiful sunny day through Fort George Park
For the Fitzpatricks, whose 21-year-old son Darren died two years ago as a result of his injuries while serving in Afghanistan as a Canadian soldier, the second annual walk gave them a chance to pay tribute to our veterans and help raise awareness and funds for the Winch House residence in Vancouver.
In March 2010, while Darren lay dying of his injuries in a U.S. Military Hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, Jim and Colleen were by his side, having been flown to Germany from Prince George. During those two weeks, they were living in Fisher House, a residence which enables families of soldiers to spend time with their sons or daughters who became sick or injured while on military duty.
"If it hadn't have been for that support from Fisher House, we wouldn't have been able to be there and spend the time with Darren that we did," said Colleen Fitzpatrick. "To be there to support him and to spend that precious time with him, it means everything.
"The Winch House is critical for our veterans returning home that really need the support and help. Obviously we know what it's like to lose someone, but for those returning home who have suffered post-traumatic stress or injuries, Winch House is amazing support to help those soldiers recover."
Located in central Vancouver, the four-bedroom residence provides free accommodation and counselling for Canadian Forces members and first responder emergency officers, as well as their families, to help them recover from injuries and deal with post-traumatic stress disorder.
In the wake of last month's Lakeland Mills fire, which brought local emergency personnel to the aid of severely burned patients, should any of those first responders require further treatment in Vancouver, Winch House is now open to them.
"Professional responders, whether they're firefighters or soldiers or police officers or paramedics are exposed to a great deal that most people don't see in their daily lives and it really does take a toll," said Prince George fire chief John Lane.
"We're very fortunate in Prince George Fire Rescue to have a well-developed critical care team, but sometimes more resources that that are required. For the armed forces members to have a facility such as Winch House is really quite pivotal in their recovery."
Known in its first year as the Red Shirt Marathon, the Walk of Honour is organized locally by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 42. Legion personnel and members of the Rocky Mountain Rangers were in attendance Saturday.
Todd Bethune, 20, a soldier studying aeronautical engineering Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont., was dressed in his military uniform, accompanied by his parents, Tom and Mavis.
"Anything that supports the Canadian Forces and the mission is a great thing," said Todd Bethune. "Families are very important to our mission and the Winch House supports us. That's why more people should be out here today."
Over the past decade, the Canadian military has been active in overseas operations in Afghanistan, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Congo, Haiti, Cambodia, Sudan, Kosovo and Bosnia. At any one time, 8,000 Canadian troops are involved in international operations.
"We have a whole new generation of veterans coming home and that's why we have to think differently about how we support them," said Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond.
"We've seen the trauma right her in Prince George with families who have lost their sons and that's one of form of support we need to provide, but in addition to that, those soldiers coming home need help reintegrating into their families and into the country again. The most important thing to me is to take the time to say thank you, and that's what today is all about."
