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Canadians line up in support of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo's family

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TORONTO

It’s been a painful week for Canadians, one that began with the shooting of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo in our nation’s capital and ended with the heartbreaking sight of the slain soldier’s young son straining to look out the window of a black limousine at the sea of red honouring his father.

In time, little Marcus likely won’t remember much about the day his dad was laid to rest in Hamilton.

But the image of the now fatherless five-year-old in his dad’s military head dress, waving a small Canadian flag and peeking out from the backseat of the limo, is no doubt permanently etched in the minds of the thousands who lined the streets of Steeltown for Cirillo’s funeral procession.

“I’m amazed,” Ross Amos said of the crowd on hand to honour the fallen soldier. “I’m sure many more watched at home on TV.”

He drove to Hamilton from Mississauga because, like many in attendance, he felt he needed to be on hand to bid farewell to the 24-year-old Argyll and Sutherland Highlander and say a quiet “thank you” for his service to country.

“There’s a great sense of concern right now and a feeling of empathy for the Cirillo family as well as all those serving in our Armed Forces,” Amos said.

Rob Fiedler said since he lives just down the street and passes by the armoury every day, he felt the need to join those watching the procession.

“This is a hometown boy, so I felt like I should be here to support his family,” he said, adding he suspects many others shared his feeling.

Although Fiedler is not originally from Hamilton, he has lived here long enough to realize “it’s a pretty tight-knit town.”

And most people in Steeltown know someone who is either currently serving, or has served, in the one of the reserve units posted to the armoury on James St. N. where the Cirillo was based.

Cirillo — a proud soldier, dog lover and doting father who was raising boy Marcus on his own — was only in Ottawa a few days when he was killed while standing guard at the National War Memorial on Oct. 22.

Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, 32, approached the reservist from behind with a rifle and shot him in the back. The killer fired a second shot that just missed another Argyll and then went on a rampage on Parliament Hill that ended with him being shot dead.

At Tuesday’s funeral procession, Cirillo’s flag-draped casket was towed behind an army truck through the streets of Hamilton with pipers and fellow soldiers walking at a slow march.

The procession began at the Argyll Commemorative Pavilion at Bayfront Park at 11 a.m., travelled south along Bay St. N., east on York Blvd. and north along James St. N. to Christ’s Church Cathedral where a service was held at noon for invited guests.

Shortly before the procession arrived at the church, a low-flying military aircraft buzzed over on James St. N. and tipped its left wing in salute to Cirillo. Military personnel were visible everywhere around town.

And with so many dignitaries attending the funeral, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, security was tight around the city. There were police officers on just about every street corner and snipers on rooftops.

But the heightened security didn’t take away from the overwhelming sense of pride on display. Canadian flags of all shapes and sizes hung from buildings and fire trucks and were draped over people’s shoulders or held high above their heads.

chris.doucette@sunmedia.ca


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