This is the first memorial many of the cadets at the Greenwood Air Base have ever attended.
They went to remember a friend as young as them.
“He lightened the room no matter where he went,” says Capt. Darren Phinney. “He was always smiling. I know that even before he was a cadet, you always saw him around the armories, usually holding a camera and a tripod that was twice as big as he was, but he always had a smile on his face.”
Gabriel Comeau joined cadets as soon as he was old enough. The 13-year-old died last week at a summer training camp in Nova Scotia.
Not much is being said about how he died. Instead, people are talking about how he lived.
“He’s wanted to be a cadet ever since his oldest brother joined,” says Phinney. “So he would have been six years at that point. His goal was to fill the shoes of his two older brothers and make them a little bit bigger.”
“He really loved the cadet program.”
Family and friends gathered to say goodbye on Friday. A celebration of life took place at Samuel De Champlain where Gabriel went to school in Saint John.
He is remembered as an active boy with a twinkle in his eye, and the ability to make people smile.
“It’s been a very challenging day involved; however, the strength of the local community here has been overwhelming,” says Capt. Liam Mather. “To see the support of Gab’s school, to see the support of the local Air Cadet Squadron 161, as well as other cadets around the Saint John community coming here together to provide that level of support. It’s incredible and overwhelming.”
Mather says cadets across the country are feeling the loss of one of their members.
“In my experience with the program, it really doesn’t matter if you’ve personally met someone,” he says. “A tragic loss like this is felt throughout the community.”
A community that stands together during a difficult time to honour a boy who lived a short, but full life.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Ashley Blackford.
