Body of Canadian killed fighting in Syria returns home Friday

Gallagher grew up in Chatham-Kent, and enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces straight out of high school at 18 years old, and served with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.

The body of a former Canadian solider who was killed while fighting Islamic State militants in Syria will be driven along the Highway of Heroes today. His body is presently awaiting transport to Canada from Amman, Jordan, where it will be processed by a Toronto funeral home.

John Gallagher, 32, was killed 16 days ago while serving as a volunteer fighter with a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia, known as the YPG.

“It’s a tough time for [his family]”, said Ecklund. We’ve been making contact with other members that lost sons, daughters, loved ones and we’ve been putting them in touch with them.

Full details of the route upon entering Blenheim can be found on The Canadian Heroes Foundation website.

She said she “wasn’t initially very happy” about Gallagher going to Syria, due to the inherent danger, but said that after he expressed how determined he was to go she “thought it was more important to support him than be anxious about him”.

The procession will pass through London around 2 p.m. Members of London’s Firefighter Association will be standing at the Highway 4 overpass to pay their respects.

The Canadian Heroes Foundation, which supports front-line responders, is encouraging people to line bridges and streets overlooking the highway whenever possible, and to “wave your flags and bring any messages of support”.