Reaction To Highway of Heroes

Reaction To Highway of Heroes

This is my reaction to Highway of Heroes

In this video I react to the Highway of Heroes which is a stretch of highway that Canadians use to pay tribute to fallen members of the Canadian military.

[g-urts]

"honestly, you know... Canada... It's a good country to die for." Thats coming from the son of an immigrant who fought and died for our country.
Makes me very proud to be Canadian. ❤❤🇨🇦❤❤

[lizturner]

By coincidence, hubby and I were 20 minutes ahead of the cortège for a fallen lad. We sobbed the entire way, every bridge, every open space beside the highway was filled with police, firefighters, legion men/women and just ordinary citizens. Just letting the family know, we feel it, we know how much you’ve sacrificed.
It’s important to know that “The Highway of Hero's” wasn’t some organized movement, it was an organic grassroots show of support by everyday Canadians compelled to say Thank You.

[grumben]

Most notable for me about highway of heroes is that it is citizen based, completely spontaneous, and unofficial with no government involvement. It truly shows the people’s support.

[darcymartin]

You really should watch and react to the music video "Highway of Heroes" by The Trews. One of The Trews went to school with Nicola Goddard, a soldier who was killed in Afghanistan. He wrote this song for her. Extremely emotional!

[CharlotteRussell-fm]

I was the Military Police Warrant Officer in Trenton from August 2010 - April 2012.
During my tenure, there was more than 50 fallen soldiers who were brought home through CFB Trenton.
I did five escorts from Trenton to the morgue in Toronto. It was humbling and emotional to see so many people along the route.
The MP vehicle was second last in the procession on the drive, the OPP and Metro Toronto Police always at the end.
Coming into Toronto on the 401 Metro Police blocked all the on ramps stopping all vehicles east and west bound.
There was a rise in the roadway, when cresting it, there was a clear view for kilometres, there wasn't a vehicle to be seen, across the whole 12 to 16 lanes. The 401 is the busiest highway in North America. Then and now, I get emotional and still see it in my mind.
The drive through the city, people stopped for the convoy, the last couple blocks were filled. The last block into the Coroner's building was lined on the street with Emergency Services members, Police, Fire, and Medical, and the staff in the Morgue.

[pattaccone]

Stuff like this is is what makes me proud to be Canadian ! ❤❤

[waynedonovan]

As a member of the Canadian Armed forces this hits home. I knew 6 of those who were presented at the end of the video. Still think of them

[dashcroft]

Mert. Thank you for reminding Canadians of their own recent history.

[alisoncircus]

Something to know about the Highway of Heroes is that it was completely spontaneous. No one organized it, people just showed up. There would be an official announcement that someone would be being interred in the National Cemetary, and people would just ... show up. Over and over and over again.

[michaelhamm]

I was the WO i/c Trenton Military Police when the first 4 came home as a result of a tragic friendly fire incident. What was supposed to be a solemn, private, transfer ceremony for these beloved soldiers became something that I will never forget. The plan was for the 4 fallen to be met on the ramp in Trenton by their families, and then for the escorting soldiers from Afghanistan to jump into the front seat of the hearses, and be escorted by Military Police to the Center of Forensic Sciences in Toronto, some 150 kms away. The base was locked down to keep the public away to allow the families to grieve.

Without being asked, the Ontario Provincial Police showed up at the gate en masse. They indicated to the leadership that they were going to escort the hearses to Toronto. They escorted us slowly off the base. The roads were lined with citizens. When we got to the on ramp of the 401, the Quinte West Fire Department were there, standing on the shoulder, at attention, saluting the four hearses. As we settled in for the 1.5 hour journey to Toronto, we approached the Brighton overpass. To our amazement, that overpass, and every overpass on the 401 to Toronto was packed with people holding Canada Flags, Firemen and Policemen saluting as we passed. The OPP had marked cars at every on ramp, blocking traffic to allow our cortege a seamless journey on the busiest highway in Canada. As we approached Coburg, a highway worker stood on the center median with his helmet across his chest. We were blown away. You have to understand that as soldiers, we thought that the public did not care about us, likely because of the aftermath of the Somalia incident. To have our citizens show our fallen that amount of love was completely unexpected, and incredibly healing.

That was out first trip up what would later be called the Highway of Heroes. Unfortunately, we got very good at making that trip over the coming years, and the outpouring of love from our fellow Canadians is something that is seared into the minds of every soldier as a result. So to all of you who stood, through the rain, the snow, and the heat...Thank you so very much.

[hereitisagain]

I have been to such an event, viewing from a bridge. There were tears in the eyes of a thousand people and the solemnity and depth of the proceedings were overcoming.

[AuntieDeb]

I was in Northern Ontario for a conference just a couple of days after a very sick individual murdered Nathan Cirillo, who was guarding the Ottawa war memorial (sentries do not have ammunition) then ran into the parliament building and started shooting in there before the Sergeant at Arms Kevin Vickers heroically ended the attack. That's a story you might want to look at. On the news, you could really only see Nathan's legs as passers by and paramedics worked on him, and seeing those distinctive Argyll & Sutherland socks was a shocker as it meant he was from my hometown, Hamilton. A Member of Parliament came in for the conference, and he was clearly beginning to show signs of being traumatized. Driving home, as soon as I exited the 400 onto the 401 (Highway of Heroes), I realized I was just a few minutes in front of the motorcade. All the way home every bridge and ramp was packed with people and once into the city the entire downtown route was people. I could barely see to drive.

[maryjanegibson]

This deaths in Afghanistan were the first wartime Canadian miliary deaths since the Korean War. There had been other deaths, of course, but they were in peacekeeping missions. I remember how devastated the country was when the first four were killed in Afghanistan. We entered a time of national mourning, and ever since then the highway on which the bodies are transported between the base where the bodies are returned to Canada and the morgue in Toronto has become a focal point for Canadians to pay our respects. The families of the fallen travel with the hearses along the highway and this is our chance to say thank you to them. I have never been there, but I found the tears welling up again as I watched this. Thank you for coviering this important topic that means so much to us.

[sharis]

For a bit of context, at the time this started governments were trying to gloss over the soldiers lost. In the USA they refused to show anything that might have a casket or fallen soldier returning home. In the UK soldiers were being told not to wear their uniforms in public because it might offend people. In Canada there is a long drive from where the soldiers arrive to where they are taken (many hours) and there are a dozen bridges. The people coming out began as local residents, vehicles would pull over for the procession and the occupants would get out and bow their head. More and more started showing up, until eventually not only the bridges were covered but there were people at every pullout, including police, fire, scouts, farmers, etc., all saying we won't ignore their sacrifice. It is a beautiful, tribute by the people, without political agenda, just respect.

[VirginiaPeden-Harrington-qdzu]

Thank you, Mert. This is such a beautiful tradition by Canadian people for their fallen heroes.

[davefost]

Thank you for doing this video. All Canadian solders fallen overseas are/were flown first to Trenton, Ontario which is our military's air transport hub for overseas in a similar way to Dover for the U.S. military. Our military doesn't have a formal morgue anymore and instead, uses the province of Ontario's 'Provincial Morgue' located in Toronto for receipt, preparation, and release of the deceased to the funeral home of their family's choice. Overseas --> Trenton --> Provincial Morgue in Ontario --> family. Toronto is located roughly 2 hours west of Trenton connected by Highway 401. The portion of the highway used to transport the deceased soldiers between Trenton and the provincial morgue in Toronto is now known as the 'Highway of Heroes', the focus on the video. Family were present when the aircraft landed in Trenton and could accompany their loved one to the morgue on the 2 hour transit. The show of respect and empathy shown in the video grew from a grass-roots movement and other than the initial reception in Trenton, was not organized by officials in any way. These men and women who travelled this route on their final trip home will not be forgotten. There is a park at the end of the runway in Trenton where a monument to the fallen stands. Every name is engraved. Every time I go through Trenton, I make a point to stop by and read all the names. Their sacrifice shall not be forgotten.

[PAPIKen]

Every time I watch that series I am proud and sad. Every time I have tears for our fallen and their families they leave behind. Never forget.

[janinas.]

God bless our beautiful men and woman of great honour. Thank you to all who serve our great country.

[EddieEnglander]

My former cadet flew the the fallen from Afghanistan to Trenton Air Force base outside of Toronto. Then taken down the 401 highway to their destinations.

[kyesnana]

While in the airport in Toronto one year they were bringing a casket down. Lots of respect even at that point. The respect they have is amazing. Cried my eyes out watching. There are several stretches of highway across Canada that are so named for our armed forces. Several members of my family, both past and present served. Proud to be Canadian. ❤️🇨🇦