Sunday is the 24th annual Peacekeepers Day, a day to honour peacekeepers and soldiers in Afghanistan who made the ultimate sacrifice serving the country. A special ceremony was held at Peacekeepers Park in Garrison Green, where veterans, families of the fallen, and community leaders paid their respects and remembered loved ones. “Any time our son is remembered, it’s important to all of us. And we really appreciate everything that people do here,” said Leona Stock, whose son Stephen passed away serving. “The more people honour our fallen heroes, I think the better off we are. It’s very heartwarming,” added Mike Shilson, commenting on the many people at the ceremony. Shilson was honouring his nephew Cole Bartsch, who passed away at 23 years old serving in Afghanistan. “Cole was a great guy. He loved people; he was all about family. He was 23 years old when he passed away, so he hadn’t really had a chance to start his own family,” Shilson said. Bartch’s story is one that, tragically, is familiar to many. Retired Major Paul Hale was the guest of honour at the ceremony, and he personally knows many of his friends and comrades who fell, a fact that sits heavy on the hearts of all who knew them. “17th September 1976: I was a brand new platoon commander in Wainwright. My first night, a soldier in my platoon was killed in a vehicle accident. This year is the 50th anniversary of his death. It’s a death that I’ve never forgotten. John Prezenski never became a father, and he was an only child. His parents never became grandparents. John never had the opportunity of walking a daughter down the aisle at her wedding. Never saw his children graduate from high school or university,” Hale said. “That is just a simple example of why we remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving with the Canadian Armed Forces,” Hale continued. Hale says stories like Prezenski’s are a stark reminder that even if you didn’t fall in combat, the loss should still be honoured and remembered, as the pain of losing a loved one is the same. Hale adds Peacekeepers Day is also a day to recognize that even those who survived may be struggling physically or mentally, and building up supports is needed. “In 2014. I gave Captain, retired, Breen Carson his retirement gifts when he retired from the armed forces. In 2016, Breen committed suicide in Toronto,” Hale said. “You learn to put it (mental health challenges) in a box, hide it. But I’ve now learned that that is not the way to deal with your issues. Bring it out, address the issue, and attack the demons and make them go away,” Hale continued. As wreaths were laid in and the names of the fallen were read out to the park full of ceremony attendees, many had the chance to not just reflect and remember their loved ones, but also appreciate the support and solidarity that came from the shared moment of remembrance. “It’s amazing how many people show up at this service, as well as Remembrance Day. It’s amazing, it’s just heartwarming,” Shilson said. Hale hopes the support shown today extends to those who need the help, and he says it can be as simple as just listening to a veteran’s stories and being someone that can empathize with struggles. “My role is to be a solid anchor for them, to be someone who listens and offers them help out of that hole and gives them that assistance,” Hale said.
