There are many people who were children or not even born yet when one or more relatives were killed in major battles including the First and Second War and Korean War.
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For the family of Master Cpl. Kristal Giesebrecht the pain of losing her didn’t happen long ago.
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The 34-year-old Wallaceburg woman was killed in Afghanistan on June 26, 2010 when the armored vehicle she was traveling in detonated an improvised explosive device.
Giesebrecht was on her second tour of duty in the war-torn country serving as a medic when she was killed. She is one of 165 Canadians, including seven civilians, killed during the war in Afghanistan that saw the Canadian military involved from October 2001 to March 2014.
Giesebrecht’s sister Shannon Shepley laid the first wreath in her memory during Saturday’s Remembrance Day ceremony at the cenotaph in downtown Chatham.
“It’s an honor to do that for her for everything she did for us and our country,” Shepley said.
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Shepley said her sister, who had previously worked as a laboratory technician, decided she wanted to do more to help others following the terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda in New York City and other parts of the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.
“That’s when she decided to do what she can do,” said Giesebrecht’s brother Danny Grant.
“She just wanted to help the people who needed the help,” he added. “She had a heart of gold. . . so she was willing to do what she could.”
While Remembrance Day is a time for the country to remember the sacrifices of Canadians who died in during wars while serving their country, Shepley said, “We think of her every day.”
Hundreds of people gathered around the cenotaph for Saturday’s ceremony.
Shepley said it was nice to see so many people come out for the veterans.
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