Canadian and American families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty met at the border Saturday for a poignant remembrance ceremony honouring fallen soldiers from both countries.
Every year Canadian Silver Cross families meet with holders of the American Gold Star for an exchange of wreaths.
The annual memorial called “Honouring Allied Remembering Together”, or HART, started 11 years ago at a crossing between New Brunswick and Maine, which has grown to 14 locations across Canada.
“The very emotional part is when they come across the border and we have the opportunity to lay wreaths at the cenotaph, we take out pictures of our children and we share where they served and how they passed away and what we’re doing today to cope,” Laurie Greenslade from New Brunswick told CTV News Channel.
Laurie’s son Pte. David Greenslade was just 20 years old when he died in 2007 when the vehicle he was in was struck by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.
“We share in our loss, which only makes us stronger,” said Ken Stannix, father of Master Cpl. Christopher Stannix, a 24-year-old soldier in the Princess Louise Fusiliers.
Stannix died in the same incident which saw six Canadian soldiers killed in what was one of Canada’s deadliest days in Afghanistan.
Greenslade’s parents Laurie and Donnie will lay the wreaths they received Saturday at their son’s grave and a park named in his honour.
"We come every year to be surrounded by people who have lost a loved one in war, they know exactly how we feel and we’re a blessing to each other,” Greenslade told CTV News Atlantic.
“It brings us comfort to know we’re not alone in dealing with our loss.”
She said the worst thing for the family is that their child be forgotten.
“I love attending it, I love sharing and knowing that our neighbours want to do this, they look forward to it every year and we look forward to receiving the wreaths from them,” she said in an interview with CTV News Channel on Sunday.
Saturday marked the start of Wreaths Across America, which coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C., and at more than 1,400 locations across the States, ending on Dec. 15.
"It’s so special for us to be doing this together and to honour the fallen and I know there’s just going to be so many poignant moments as we make our way down to Arlington,” Gold Star wife Amy Moore said.
She said the worst thing for the family is that their child be forgotten.
“I love attending it, I love sharing and knowing that our neighbours want to do this, they look forward to it every year and we look forward to receiving the wreaths from them,” she said in an interview with CTV News Channel on Sunday.
Saturday marked the start of Wreaths Across America, which coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C., and at more than 1,400 locations across the States, ending on Dec. 15.
"It’s so special for us to be doing this together and to honour the fallen and I know there’s just going to be so many poignant moments as we make our way down to Arlington,” Gold Star wife Amy Moore said.
