Final Salute 'Farewell to ... our hero'
News
Posted By MIRIAM KING, QMI AGENCY
Posted 1 month ago
This community paid respects and said thanks to a hero, Thursday.
Bradford's Holy Martyrs of Japan Catholic Church was filled to capacity for the funeral of 24-year-old Sapper Brian Collier, killed by an improvised explosive device near Nakhonay, in Panjwaii District in Afghanistan on July 20. Hundreds more stood outside, unable to find room in the 1,000 seat church. Scores stood on street corners to watch the funeral procession pass.
The procession was led by police motorcycles from the South Simcoe, Barrie and York Region police services -- under the huge Canadian flag draped by firefighters between two aerial ladder trucks at the church, and past the honour guards of RCMP officers and members of 2 Combat Engineer Regiment from CFB Petawawa.
Members of 1 Combat Engineer Regiment -- Sapper Collier's regiment -- were the pallbearers, carrying the flag-draped casket inside the church, as a lone piper played.
Loudspeakers carried the words of the service to those waiting outside, many of whom carried Canadian flags, and wore poppies of remembrance.
Father Leger, former pastor of the church, spoke on behalf of the family, calling Brian Collier "a great gift of God, a wonderful son and brother ... Brian will be forever missed by his best friend -- his dad."
Leger spoke of the love that Collier had for his family -both at home, and in the military.
"In the military, Brian grew and matured ... Farewell to our son, our brother ... our nephew, our cousin, our friend, our buddy, our hero."
Father Boniface Perri led the funeral mass, and gave the homily.
"I don't know what to say. You want to say something profound at this moment to take away the pain," he said. "Twenty-four year olds are not supposed to die. What do you tell his friends and his family in faith, when they ask: Why now?
"If the value of the man is how many people will remember him well, how many people he touched ... and how many people loved him back -- then, friends, look around."
The funeral procession left Holy Martyrs of Japan Church for a semi-private interment ceremony at Holy Martyrs cemetery. Nearly 100 people waited at the corner of Professor Day Drive and Holland St., for the cortege to pass -- including Scouts, and members of the Bradford, Tottenham, Mt. Albert and Stouffville Legions, who brought a Colour Party to salute the casket as it passed.
Debbie McGuire was one of those waiting at the corner. Her daughter went to school with Collier; her son, Michael, is serving with the Air Force in British Columbia.
"That's what they want to do. You want to support them," she said, speaking of her son's and Collier's decision to serve. "Every serviceman we've spoken to, they've signed up to go back. They're going back to help everyday-people like us -- they're not going back for political reasons."
Laureen McAllister stood beside her.
"My grandson Michael played ball with him for four years. He's 24, too," said McAllister, who banks at the TD Canada Trust branch in Bradford, where Carol Collier works.
Almost everyone had a story of Collier and his parents, Jim and Carol, and his sisters Shannon, Janine and Lauren.
"That's part of being in a small town. We all become a piece of each other," said McGuire.
There was a military service at graveside, attended by the immediate family and friends, with a piper and three-gun salute.
"For me, the most moving part was at graveside, when they presented the flag, from a grateful nation," said Father Larry Leger, who had delivered words of remembrance from the family at the funeral service. He said that he had attended as a longtime friend of the family.
"I golfed with Brian, I confirmed him."
The funeral service was followed by a reception at Holy Martyrs of Japan, and again the community came together to provide food and refreshments. Not only did church women make dozens of sandwiches, but Bradford Mayor Doug White and family also ordered in food, Giant Tiger donated a skid of water, the Bradford Sobeys contributed pop -- and The Village Inn, one of Brian Collier's favourite watering holes when he was in town with his friends, contributed 1,000 chicken wings.
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