Hundreds of mourners walked and drove behind a horse-drawn carriage carrying the body of Sgt. Darby Todd Morin to this reserve's cemetery on Tuesday.
The three-kilometre procession followed an emotional, three-hour funeral attended by Morin's widow, Veronica Morin, his two sons and many others.
"Just know this is exactly what Darby wanted and he's really happy watching this today," Veronica Morin said.
Darby Morin, 25, died in Afghanistan on Aug. 22 while serving in the United States army.
The vehicle in which he was travelling rolled late at night near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
Morin, a nuclear, biological and chemical non-commissioned officer with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y., had been deployed to the Charkh district in Logar Province, Afghanistan.
Morin, a native of the Big River First Nation, signed up for the U.S. army at age 19, shortly after graduating from high school. First Nations people can enlist in either the U.S. or Canadian military. According to his obituary, Morin at the age of 11 told his mother he would make her proud when he joined the army.
"He loved his job so much," said Veronica Morin, as she was embraced at the podium by family members.
More than a dozen members of the U.S. military attended the funeral on the grounds of Se-Se-Wa-Hum High School, as did many serving Canadian soldiers and RCMP members.
Sgt. John Romme, who served closely with Morin and was his immediate superior, called Morin his "right-hand man." Romme was on a 15-day leave and came from his home in Sparta, N.J., for the funeral.
"It is my honour to be here today. He was a great warrior and an even greater person," Romme said.
Addressing Veronica Morin and her sons, Romme said they have 131 others from Morin's company who are now their brothers. Morin was the unit's unofficial barber and Romme wouldn't let anyone else cut his hair.
U.S. Army chaplain Michael Hoffman said Morin was submerged in a "cold mountain stream" in Afghanistan during a Christian baptism ceremony during this tour.
As a youth, Morin expressed a desire to escape the negative traps of gangs and addictions, Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) vice-chief Lyle Whitefish said in a eulogy.
"He valued his friends and family, as well as his culture and language," said Whitefish.
Morin, a father of two boys (three-year-old Christian and 19-month-old Blue Sky), served two tours in Iraq and was on his third tour of Afghanistan when he died.
"You should be extremely proud of Sgt. Darby Morin," said FSIN Chief Lawrence Joseph.
Joseph and Whitefish are relatives of Morin.
Premier Brad Wall, one of more than a dozen municipal, provincial or federal politicians attending the service, said the word "hero" is often used to describe hockey or football stars.
"We need to find a different word for those things," said Wall. "Today, the word 'hero' belongs only to Sgt. Darby Morin."
U.S. army Maj.-Gen. Patricia Horoho said her heart is heavy but filled with pride because Morin "shed his blood on foreign lands" to protect freedom.
She said the U.S. military is grateful to Morin's family and to the community of Big River First Nation for the gift of a man like Morin.
Following the speeches, two soldiers folded an American flag, which draped the casket, and the hundreds of people in attendance walked past the open casket. Veronica Morin shivered as she reached out to touch her husband's chest. She was held up and led away by family.
The Big River First Nation is located about 200 kilometres north of Saskatoon.
jwarick@sp.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Dead+soldier+loved/1953057/story.html
Big River First Nation: "Big River First Nation, also known as Whitefish Lake, is located 120 kilometers northwest of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan near the towns of Debden, Big River and Spiritwood. Big River First Nation has a population of 2,800 membership with 2,200 members currently living on-reserve... "http://www.brfn.ca/aboutus.htm
The three-kilometre procession followed an emotional, three-hour funeral attended by Morin's widow, Veronica Morin, his two sons and many others.
"Just know this is exactly what Darby wanted and he's really happy watching this today," Veronica Morin said.
Darby Morin, 25, died in Afghanistan on Aug. 22 while serving in the United States army.
The vehicle in which he was travelling rolled late at night near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
Morin, a nuclear, biological and chemical non-commissioned officer with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y., had been deployed to the Charkh district in Logar Province, Afghanistan.
Morin, a native of the Big River First Nation, signed up for the U.S. army at age 19, shortly after graduating from high school. First Nations people can enlist in either the U.S. or Canadian military. According to his obituary, Morin at the age of 11 told his mother he would make her proud when he joined the army.
"He loved his job so much," said Veronica Morin, as she was embraced at the podium by family members.
More than a dozen members of the U.S. military attended the funeral on the grounds of Se-Se-Wa-Hum High School, as did many serving Canadian soldiers and RCMP members.
Sgt. John Romme, who served closely with Morin and was his immediate superior, called Morin his "right-hand man." Romme was on a 15-day leave and came from his home in Sparta, N.J., for the funeral.
"It is my honour to be here today. He was a great warrior and an even greater person," Romme said.
Addressing Veronica Morin and her sons, Romme said they have 131 others from Morin's company who are now their brothers. Morin was the unit's unofficial barber and Romme wouldn't let anyone else cut his hair.
U.S. Army chaplain Michael Hoffman said Morin was submerged in a "cold mountain stream" in Afghanistan during a Christian baptism ceremony during this tour.
As a youth, Morin expressed a desire to escape the negative traps of gangs and addictions, Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) vice-chief Lyle Whitefish said in a eulogy.
"He valued his friends and family, as well as his culture and language," said Whitefish.
Morin, a father of two boys (three-year-old Christian and 19-month-old Blue Sky), served two tours in Iraq and was on his third tour of Afghanistan when he died.
"You should be extremely proud of Sgt. Darby Morin," said FSIN Chief Lawrence Joseph.
Joseph and Whitefish are relatives of Morin.
Premier Brad Wall, one of more than a dozen municipal, provincial or federal politicians attending the service, said the word "hero" is often used to describe hockey or football stars.
"We need to find a different word for those things," said Wall. "Today, the word 'hero' belongs only to Sgt. Darby Morin."
U.S. army Maj.-Gen. Patricia Horoho said her heart is heavy but filled with pride because Morin "shed his blood on foreign lands" to protect freedom.
She said the U.S. military is grateful to Morin's family and to the community of Big River First Nation for the gift of a man like Morin.
Following the speeches, two soldiers folded an American flag, which draped the casket, and the hundreds of people in attendance walked past the open casket. Veronica Morin shivered as she reached out to touch her husband's chest. She was held up and led away by family.
The Big River First Nation is located about 200 kilometres north of Saskatoon.
jwarick@sp.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Dead+soldier+loved/1953057/story.html
Big River First Nation: "Big River First Nation, also known as Whitefish Lake, is located 120 kilometers northwest of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan near the towns of Debden, Big River and Spiritwood. Big River First Nation has a population of 2,800 membership with 2,200 members currently living on-reserve... "http://www.brfn.ca/aboutus.htm
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