Stone Soup

Twenty-one-year-old Sapper Etienne Gonthier died during a road-clearing operation in Afghanistan. Two others were injured in the blast. Gonthier, a combat engineer born in Quebec City, was based in Valcartier, Que., with the 5ieme Regiement du Genie de Combat. He is the 78th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan since the Canadian mission began in 2002.

For those who don't know, the "Highway of Heroes" is the stretch of Highway 401 from CFB Trenton to Toronto (172 Kilometres). It earned its name because it is the route fallen troops take to the Centre for Forensic Sciences before they are returned to their families.

Since 2002 thousands have stood on overpasses wearing red and holding signs or flags, waiting for the the motorcade to pass. It lets the families of the fallen know that we're thinking of them and hopefully it means something to them. For the crowd, they feel connected to the family for a few seconds.

I stood in the crowd this afternoon at Whites Road overpass as Etienne Gonthier's body followed behind his family and officials, to downtown Toronto.

Fire workers and policemen were at every overpass in the final stretch, signalling to traffic the cavalcade is about to pass. I pulled up and parked behind the fire truck leaving my flashers on. There was a handful of people when I arrived but the crowd grew steadily; there were about one hundred on the overpass within minutes. We waited in sad silence as cars and trucks below flashed their lights or waved or sounded their horns in tribute to our young hero. Then the procession passed. The firemen removed their hats. I welled up with tears as I am sure the others did. Then we left quietly.

I park behind the firetruck on Whites Road overpass

The cavalcade will pass here

People begin to gather on the overpass to pay their respects to Etienne Gonthier and connect for a moment with his family.

Trucks and cars flash lights, wave or sound horns to acknowlege a fallen soldier

In the distance, people arriving on foot. Making time in their Sunday afternoon to pay respects to Etienne Gonthier.

People begin to assemble at Whites Road overpass. A man asks the fireman how soon the cavalcade is expected.

Police cars appear in the collector lanes...the cavalcade begins

Police cars head the procession, family and officials behind, then the body of Etienne Gonthier