Elizabeth and Fred McKay found themselves wiping away tears after taking part in the Remembrance Day ceremony at Barrie's Royal Canadian Legion branch earlier today.
The couple travelled to Barrie from the Ottawa area to take part in the service and to honour the life of their son, Kevin, who was killed by an improvised explosive device on May 13, 2010, just two days before he was set to return from Afghanistan. He was 24.
“Normally we are OK, but for some reason this year really got to us,” Beth told BarrieToday, adding she and her husband came early so they could have a few minutes to privately look at the two displays containing their son’s belongings that had been set up in the local legion earlier this week.
“We have had all those things at home and you can’t really have a shrine at home, nor do you want to," she said.
When Barrie legion first vice-president Fern Taillefer, whom the McKays say has become "a dear friend," asked if they would be interested in lending them some items, the couple says they "jumped at it."
“Seeing it in all the cases, I think that’s what got to us here. It really made it all come back," Beth said.
Beth, who served as this year’s Silver Cross Mother during the local ceremony, told BarrieToday they felt Branch No. 147 was the right place for Kevin’s belongings for a variety of reasons.
“Both our boys were raised in Barrie and Horseshoe Valley, and many of their friends still live in the area… and we still have lots of friends here, even though we moved away a couple of years ago," she said. "But Barrie has always wrapped their arms around us through this whole thing.
“We have a lot of really good memories with the soldiers, but we have even more memories of Kevin and Riley being raised in this area. It’s always nice to be welcomed back and to be asked to come back is an honour," Beth added.
Kevin attended W.R. Best Public School, near Dalston, and Eastview Secondary School in Barrie before joining the military.
When asked what Kevin would think of the tribute to him, Beth admits they’ve actually talked about it and say he would likely just tell them to “get on with it."
“We laugh because Kevin was such a character. He’d say OK… get back to work now, move on. He was quite a guy," said his mom.
Seeing the items on public display for the first time was very heartwarming, added Fred.
“We had it at home and they’ve done a wonderful job,” he said. “If it was going to be on display, we felt it should be in Barrie and I think the legion is the proper place for a soldier's effects to be displayed.
"Kevin was a bit of a shy guy when talking about himself, but I think he would be very pleased to see he’s being remembered this way," he added. "It’s not a dress uniform. It’s combat fatigues and combat gear and he was infantry through and through.
"He would appreciate that.”
