To view video of some of the opening ceremonies click here
To view photos of the event click here
An incredible Act of Remembrance to honour to the 158 Fallen Soldiers from the Afghanistan War started on October 26 in the Cornwall area with Ian Callan’s 158 km Highway of Heroes HonouRun initiative.
While dedicating the run to Fallen heroes, surviving Veterans, Military members and First Responders, Callan wishes to also bring attention to Mental Health issues that go along with the job of protecting our freedom and keeping Canadians safe.
Callan is a 4-time Boston Marathon Marathoner and has completed several ultra-marathons, recently finishing a 100 mile race in the Gatineau Hills of Quebec.
On Saturday October 26 2019 Callan and Sebastian Warren ran 58 km with the Cornwall Multisport Club visiting Fire Halls, Legions, Police Stations and Cenotaphs to pay their respect to the men and women who answered the call to protect Canadians.
Callan and Warren ran the remaining 100 km of the 158 km Highway of Heroes HonouRun from the first bridge on the Highway of Heroes in Trenton to the Leon’s Center in Kingston overnight from Friday November 1 to Saturday November 2 completing the run in 14 hours.
The last 22 km of the run Callan and Warren were joined by Private Dave Kervin from the Hastings Prince Edward Regiment who carried a 40 pound ruck sack.
The trio arrived in Kingston on time for the opening Ceremony of the inaugural Highway of Heroes Hockey Game where Military, Veterans and First Responders were playing against the Toronto Maple Leaf Alumni to raise awareness about Mental Health.
Private Kervin shared his thoughts “When I first caught wind of what Kerri Tadeu was putting together and hearing of Ian Callan organizing and participating in a 158 km run to honour every member lost during the Afghanistan War (the HonouRun), I was eager to get in touch with them and help or participate in any way that I could. While I have not personally deployed overseas, nor have I ever been in battle, I have friends and Regimental members that have, many of whom lost friends while on tour in Afghanistan, so this seemed like the perfect way for me to honour them and the brothers and sisters they lost in battle. I had the privilege of joining these two warriors, running from Odessa, along Highway 2, into Kingston, ending at the Leon’s Centre prior to the Highway of Heroes hockey game. Twenty-two kilometres is nothing compared to the 136 km of running these men had completed, but it was enough time to hear their stories, share some laughs, and have some heartfelt conversation about mental health concerns with service men and women, creating a lifelong bond that I will cherish each day forward. I’ve always been proud to wear the uniform, but on Saturday, standing next to those two men after accomplishing what they did to raise awareness and funds for mental health, I had an extra sense of pride that will last with me a lifetime. I can’t begin to imagine what many of our brothers and sisters in the CAF have been through in battle, but I’ll always do my part to support a strong foundation for mental health resources, and be there for them, as a family member, to reach out to anytime, anywhere. Saturday was very special to me personally and I was proud to be in an arena full of service men and women, volunteers and supporters, all coming together for a great cause. The 22 km I ran with Ian and Sebastien, the memories made that day, and the impact the event left for service men and women, all made for a very proud day as a Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment member in the CAF. Personally I’d like to thank all that came together and supported the event!”
With the hockey game rooted in Mental Health for Military, Veterans and First Responders, Hastings Prince Edward Regiment Members were participating throughout the hockey game with Regimental Sergeant Major Chief Warrant Officer Dean Stokes and Sergeant Mike Castell as flag bearers and Master Corporal Sean Francis, Master Warrant Officer Nic Cook as referees.
In November 2016, Corporal Nick Kerr, Master Corporal (retired) Collin Fitzgerald and Kerri Tadeu adopted a 1.18 kilometre stretch of the Highway of Heroes in Grafton in honour of Tadeu’s friend Major Michelle Knight Mendes who was the 118th soldier carried home from the Afghanistan War.
Shortly after, the trio adopted the entire 344 kilometers of the Highway of Heroes (172 km east and 172 km west) as an initiative to combat the epidemic of suicide amongst Military, Veterans and First Responders by bringing the Veteran Community together and cleaning a sacred stretch of Canadian soil where 158 Soldiers from the Afghanistan War were repatriated home and moving their pain into purpose.
Their adoption is rooted 95% in Mental Health and 5% in garbage collection.
In their third year of cleaning the Highway of Heroes twice a year- weeks leading up to National Day of Honour on May 9 and weeks leading up to Remembrance Day on November 11, Major Michelle Knight Mendes’ life and death is always Remembered and Military, Veterans, First Responders, Families of the Fallen Soldiers and people who care about these people have travelled as far away as Montreal, Cornwall, Ottawa, Kingston, Niagara Falls, Plattsville, Guelph and everywhere in between to clean the Highway of Heroes that stretches from Trenton to Keele Street in Toronto.
“The first time I met Kerri her passion, excitement and commitment to a cause so worthy I was overwhelmed with pride and joy. Sitting in the dressing room not knowing a person and listening to stories of brotherhood and sisterhood of the war veterans made me feel very fortunate and brought many things into perspective. Sitting on the bench watching and listening to everyone have a great time made it worth every second. I always wanted to play in front of 4000+ people, I finally got my chance and I wouldn’t have changed who it was with for anything. Memories made forever” Acting Captain of Cobourg firefighter Chris Post
Playing on the Highway of Heroes Hockey Team made up of Military, Veterans and First Responders – the men and women who keep us the True North Strong and Free included
#00 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES – RETIRED MASTER CORPORAL COLLIN FITZGERALD
#7 FIRST RESPONDER WITH THE TORONTO FIRE SERVICES AND CANADIAN ARMED FORCES RETIRED ABLE SEAMAN JEFF BRYDGES
#9 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES – RETIRED MASTER CORPORAL JAY MCARTHUR
#12 ASSISTANT CAPTAIN- CANADIAN ARMED FORCES – RETIRED SERGEANT PETE SOVA
#16 FIRST RESPONDER WITH CORRECTION SERVICE CANADA MARK GILLOTT
#17 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES -SERGEANT NICOLE GARLOUGH
#19 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES -RETIRED CORPORAL ERIC EVANS
#20 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES -MASTER WARRANT OFFICER COLIN BANHAM
#21 ASSISTANT CAPTAIN – CANADIAN ARMED FORCES RETIRED SERGEANT CHRISTINE MORIN
#22 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES- OFFICER CADET MELANIE RUSTE NBURG
#27 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES -CAPTAIN PATRICK ROULEAU
#31 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES- RETIRED MASTER CORPORAL RYAN ISBISTER- GOALIE
#33 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES- RETIRED CORPORAL SEAN IZZARD
#34 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES- SERGEANT JESSIE GERMAIN
#39 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES MILITARY POLICE -SERGEANT ERIC KELLAR – GOALIE
#68 US MARINE CORP FIRST NATIONS VETERAN- RETIRED CORPORAL DARREN JOHNSTON
#69 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES -RETIRED CORPORAL DAVID BALTZER
#73 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES -WARRANT OFFICER MIKE RICHARD
#78 FIRST RESPONDER ACTING CAPTAIN COBOURG FIRE DEPARTMENT -CHRIS POST
#80 TEAM CAPTAIN- CANADIAN ARMED FORCES RETIRED CORPORAL JAMES CAWLEY
#93 FIRST RESPONDER ON THE HIGHWAY OF HEROES CHRIS SIOPKAS – GOALIE
Assistant Coach was CANADIAN ARMED FORCES – RETIRED CAPTAIN MATT HOUSE and the coach was CANADIAN ARMED FORCES – RETIRED CORPORAL BILL PENTNEY
Equipment manager was RETIRED MASTER CORPORAL TERRY BURROWS and RETIRED WARRANT OFFICER DARRYL WATTERS
The last five minutes of the first period a Jr. Highway of Heroes Hockey Team made up of service men and women’s children battled it out against the Toronto Maple Leaf’s Alumni
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES -RETIRED MASTER CORPORAL COLLIN FITZGERALD AND HIS DAUGHTER PEYTON FITZGERALD
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES -RETIRED CORPORAL CHRIS KLODT WITH HIS SONS JONATHAN AND CAMERON KLODT
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES SERGEANT DARRYL MCCANN AND HIS SON LAWSON MCCANN
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES – CORPORAL SEAN MCKILLEN AND LIAM MCKILLEN
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES – RETIRED SERGEANT STU RODGERS AND HIS SON BRANDON RODGERS
FIRST RESPONDER ON THE HIGHWAY OF HEROES – CHRIS SIOPKAS AND HIS SON NEKO SIOPKAS
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES – LIEUTENANT VANESSA LARTER AND HER SONS BEN, JACK AND CARTER SMITHERS
FIRST RESPONDER WITH DURHAM POLICE- DETECTIVE JODY WHELAN, AND HIS SONS LAUCHLAN AND KADE WHELAN
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES CORPORAL CHRIS WHALEY AND HIS SONS QUINTIN WHALEY AND LYRIC MCSTRAVICK
The last five minutes of the second period another Jr. Highway of Heroes Hockey Team took to the ice to play the Toronto Maple Leaf’s Alumni
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES – RETIRED PRIVATE MATT ANDERSON AND HIS SON PEYTON ANDERSON
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES -MAJOR DANIEL BEGIN AND HIS SON NATHAN BEGIN
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES -MAJOR MIKE DULLEGE AND HIS WIFE CHRISTINE AND CHILDREN MADISON AND LOGAN DULLEGE
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES CAPTAIN LEIGHTON HARDY AND HIS SONS KEIGAN AND COLTON HARDY
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES SERGEANT ROBERT LAROCQUE AND HIS SON EWAN LARAOQUE
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES MAJOR ROBERT MAGIL AND HIS DAUGHTER AUBREY MAGIL
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES CORPORAL STEVEN PAQUETTE AND HIS CHILDREN EDOUARD PAQUETTE AND AURELIE TRUDEL
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES MASTER WARRANT OFFICER MIKE SAULNIER AND HIS SON KEELAN SAULNIER
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES CAPTAIN PAUL STACHOW AND HIS DAUGHTER JELENA STACHOW
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES MAJOR ALISON JACKSON AND HER SON JACK SHAVER
Playing on the Toronto Maple Leaf Alumni Team
#2 CANADIAN ARMED FORCES LIEUTENANT COLONEL DEREK GILCHRIST
#21 FIRST RESPONDER ON THE HIGHWAY OF HEROES ROB BAIRD
#89 SON OF THE LATE CAPTAIN MATTHEW DAWE- LUCAS DAWE
#98 ALYN MCCAULEY’S SON- RENN MCCAULEY
BORSCHEVSKY, NIKOLAI
CAPUTI, LUCA
CLARK, WENDEL
DOREY, JIM (COACH)
KOSTKA, MIKE
KRUSHELNYSKI, MIKE
LAFRATE, AL
LAFOREST, MARK (GOALIE)
MCCAULEY, ALYN
MCCLEMENT, JAY
MCGILL, BOB
VAIVE, RICK
ZIGOMANIS, MIKE
In the concourse of the Leon’s Center at The Highway of Heroes Hockey Game benefiting Kingston 4 Paws Service Dogs over two dozen organizations dedicated to the mental and physical well being of Military, Veterans, First Responders and their family members shared what they are doing for the Veteran Community.
Anne Henderson is the daughter of the late William James Henderson and the Highway of Heroes Hockey Game was dedicated to the Honourable Judge Henderson.
The Honourable Judge William James Henderson was a three-term Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, a former Ontario Supreme Court Justice, a renowned philanthropist, an advisor to politicians and a decorated War Veteran. Judge Henderson enlisted in the Canadian Forces in 1939, transferred to the Royal Canadian Corps of Signalers in 1942.
He served in England, Italy, France, Belgium, Germany and Holland as an Intelligence Officer.
He was injured in the war, underwent extensive surgery and was discharged in 1946, but served in the Canadian Army Reserves until 1952. Among his numerous honours, Judge Henderson was most proud of those associated with Military service.
While his official service ended in 1952, his loyalty to the military did not end. Years after he left the Canadian Armed Forces, Judge Henderson, by then a member of the provincial legislature, fought for Veterans, fought for the Legion, and fought for the Canadian Armed Forces.
In the 1990s, he supported the Royal Canadian Legion’s appeal for pension increases, and he was the moving force behind the Military Communications and Electronics Museum, Canadian Forces Base Kingston, paying tribute to our Signalers.
Judge Henderson known as the Founder of Amherstview, passed away on May 15 2006. He is admired and deeply respected for the service he gave our country, our Canadian Armed Forces and our future.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
