The deadly fire at a Canadian military base in Alberta on Saturday claimed the lives of four Canadian Armed Forces members, including two from B.C.
Private Aidan Goulding was only 23 years old.
His mother told Global News that her son wouldn’t want anyone to dwell on his death, but to pray for his fellow wounded soldiers.
That’s the kind of man Aidan was, she said.h
Losing Aidan has left a huge hole in our family,” Sonia Monk said.
“He was the one who made us laugh and made us proud and made us incredibly resourceful.
We can rest in the thought that he died with his brothers. He loved his army family just as much as he loved us. I’m thankful that every conversation we had there was an ‘I love you’ at the end.”
Aidan was from North Vancouver and served with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
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His brother, Wylder, said Aidan inspired him and that they weren’t just brothers, they were best friends.
“My beautiful brother, no one will ever truly understand the bond Aidan and I shared,” Wylder said.
“You could walk into a room and light it up with his big bright eyes and his contagious laugh. He had a way of making everything brighter just by being there.”
Nineteen-year-old Private Hayden Lykkemark was from Langley and also served with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
Officials say a grass fire quickly overwhelmed soldiers at the base on Saturday as a sudden change in wind direction and strength expanded the fire over a large area. Investigators say it could be weeks before details of how the fire started can be determined.
Dozens were injured in the incident.
Goulding’s family says their thoughts are with those still recovering.
-with files from Ariel Rabinovitch
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