Funeral mourners recall friendship, dedication of sergeant killed in CFB Wainwright incident

A funeral home in central Edmonton was full Sunday morning, with most in attendance wearing poppies over their hearts to honour the sergeant who died last weekend at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, in central Alberta.

Eight service members carried the casket of Sgt. Morgan Wong, 26, draped in the Maple Leaf, to the front of the room as bagpipes played him in.

The flag was later replaced with a yellow descendants’ blanket — a traditional Chinese textile used during funerals — before a shrine, featuring a framed photo of Wong, fruit, rice and flowers, was placed in front of the casket and other Buddhist funeral customs were performed.

“Each one of us has our own special memories of Morgan, and I hope holding onto those memories will remind us to live our lives with courage and integrity, like he did,” his sister, Megan, said in a speech during the service.

“He was too young when he left us,” she said. “But I hope his life will be a reminder for each of us to use the time we have to achieve a life we would be proud of.”

Megan described her brother as brave, warm and hilarious, a loyal friend and dedicated soldier. She added that Wong was close to their mother — and that now they’re together again.

The family also offered their condolences to the other soldiers who died and were injured at CFB Wainwright.

A fire at CFB Wainwright on Oct. 17, resulting from a training exercise, was first reported in the base’s grenade launcher range — a “permanent danger area” that base firefighters couldn’t enter. Strong winds in the region that day spread the flames quickly, overwhelming service members and eventually burning beyond the base.

The fire caused dozens of casualties and killed four service members including Wong, a member from the Loyal Edmonton Regiment who served with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.

Canadian Armed Forces members arrive at the memorial service for Sgt. Morgan Wong, held Sunday in Edmonton. The funeral home was full during the ceremony. (James Maclennan/The Canadian Press)

“The love that Canadians have shown for Sgt. Wong means more to all of us than we could ever explain. We will always remember him, and his family will forever be part of our family,” Lt.-Col. Bryn Wright, commanding officer of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, said in a written statement to journalists Sunday.

In a statement issued earlier this week, Wong’s family expressed their love for him and how proud he had made them. They said he joined the military in 2017 and was training at CFB Wainwright last weekend to prepare for a second deployment to Europe.

During Sunday’s service, Wright, who knew Wong throughout the sergeant’s military career, shared three stories that spoke to Wong’s dedication to service and discipline to hold trainees to the highest standard.

“Passionate, professional, committed to excellence — that was Sgt. Morgan Wong,” he said, later adding that every service member in attendance Sunday will carry his example with them.

Some fellow service members and Wong’s longtime friends also shared stories during the ceremony that highlighted similar traits: humour, integrity, generosity and a willingness to help out however he could. Each expressed gratitude for knowing him.

One of Wong’s longtime, childhood friends, shown here before Sunday’s memorial service, shared multiple anecdotes during the ceremony about the man’s humour, their shared disdain for the Kansas City Chiefs and Wong’s love for boneless chicken wings at Boston Pizza. (James Maclennan/The Canadian Press)

Since the news of his death, friends and people Wong volunteered with described him as a passionate volunteer and a mentor.

Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack and some city councillors attended Sunday’s service. Afterward, Knack told reporters he was happy the community was able to come together to celebrate Wong’s life and his impact on people across the country.

“This is somebody who, no matter who you were, was there to support you,” he said. “It’s impossible to replace someone like that, who’s given so much.

Knack added he hopes Canadians can practise the level of care Wong showed for others moving forward.