Highway of Heroes

On Wednesday afternoon, we were returning home from Ottawa along the 401. I had heard how when Canadian soldiers who died overseas are brought home the bodies are transported from Trenton to Toronto along the 401. Some time ago, whenever there was a "ramp ceremony" in Trenton and the families receive their dead, and then are escorted to Toronto, Canadian citizens of all kind began to line the bridges and overpasses for 150 Km along the 401. We witnessed this on Wednesday. I think that there were two soldiers coming home to be brought to their final resting places. It was quite moving to see how many of our fellow citizens came out to salute these families and show their respect for the dead.



Often on the overpass there would be an emergency services vehicle. We saw ladder trucks, foam trucks, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles, their crews standing at attention. Not soldiers, but men and women in uniform, who protect us here, saluting those in uniform, who die overseas.

Some bridges had only a few ...



On one bridge there was only one ambulance and one paramedic standing at attention.

Others had many people.



For more than an hour, we saw men and women. We saw veterans with banners from the Legion. We saw children. Hundreds and hundreds of ordinary Canadians, in a spontaneous outpouring of honour, respect and thanks to men and women who are willing to die and give their lives that others may live free from Islamic oppression. What is so remarkable is that there is no official organization for this. Just citizens of our fair land showing respect for those who die in battle far from home and loved ones. Let no one say that patriotism is dead in Canada. There were a lot of flags out on the 401!