Matthew Heneghan and Philip Hunter served as medics in the Canadian Armed Forces. They shared a connection to Colin Wilmot, an army medic who died in an improvised explosive device attack in Afghanistan in 2008.
Corporal Benjamin Hertwig is a veteran of the War in Afghanistan, having served as a Reservist infantry from 2001-2008. Following his retirement from the Reserves, he began writing to process the trauma and grief he was faced with after coming back from Afghanistan.
Bruce Moncur, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, was badly wounded in a friendly fire incident and medically released from the army. At first, Moncur wanted nothing to do with the army and cut himself off from his former comrades. Years later, during a trip to visit Canadian First and Second World War battle sites, Moncur realized that his connection to other veterans, including those who served in other wars, is strong and ongoing.
Jonathon Reid’s father, John, was captured by the Japanese and spent nearly four years as a prisoner of war. He returned home damaged, and later largely abandoned his family, including Jonathon and his brother when they were young boys.
John Barnes was wounded during Operation Medusa in Afghanistan in 2006 and later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He sought help because he wanted to be a better grandfather.