Medic remembered for his smile, positive attitude

A Canadian military medic killed by an explosion early Sunday near the city of Kandahar is being remembered as a committed, friendly man who almost always had a smile on his face.

A 2002 graduate of Fredericton High School, Pte. Colin William Wilmot, 24, came from a family with a long history of military service.

Wilmot's stepfather, Eric Craig, a warrant officer with 2 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery at CFB Petawawa in Ontario, was given the news as he prepared for his own deployment to Kandahar.

The young man's paternal grandfather, William Wilmot, said he'll best remember his grandson as a little boy who used to tear around the yard in Haneytown, N.B.

'He was always there for you no matter what, always helped you, no questions asked — even if it wasn't in his best interest.' —Cpl. Genevieve Dureau

"He was a real chum, a nice boy," said Wilmot, who spent 25 years in the military himself.  "Always easy to get along with."

Wilmot died after a bomb exploded while he was on overnight foot patrol with troops from the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in the Panjwaii district. He was pronounced dead at the military hospital at Kandahar Airfield a few hours later.

Wilmot was raised in Fredericton and based in Edmonton with the Princess Patricia's.

He was the 87th soldier to die as part of the Afghan mission, which started in 2002.

Medic inspired by MASH

Andrew Foreman, who was a friend of Wilmot's in high school, remembered the man as always having a smile and having positive things to say.

"He was the kind of person who would want to go and help people. That's probably why he became a medic, that's just the way he was," Foreman said.

Oromocto, N.B., resident Melissa Laagland-Winder knew Wilmot through his sister.

"Colin was a great guy," said Laagland-Winder. "He was always there for his family and for his sister."

Laagland-Winder said Wilmot had joked that he was going into the medical field because of his affection for the television show MASH.

Soldiers at Wilmot's home base at the Edmonton Garrison set up a picture of their friend inside the entrance of the 1 Field Ambulance headquarters and lowered the unit's colours to half-mast on Monday.

"The hole it leaves is huge. We are a family. It is like losing a family member," said Lt.-Col. Christopher Linford, commanding officer of the unit.

Linford said he's spoken with Wilmot's fiancée, Laura, and she's in shock.

Wasn't scheduled for current rotation

Wilmot was not originally scheduled to join the current rotation, but asked to be sent and was selected when a vacancy became available, said Brig.-Gen. Denis Thompson, because he was motivated, skilled and "eager to make a difference in the lives of ordinary Afghans."

Wilmot will be remembered as a quiet, easygoing young man who had a keen intellect, Thompson said.

"He was always there for you no matter what, always helped you, no questions asked — even if it wasn't in his best interest," said Cpl. Genevieve Dureau, who served in his unit.

Dureau eulogized Wilmot at a memorial service at the military camp before his coffin was loaded on a transport plane to be returned to Trenton, Ont., on Wednesday.

"He'd walk around with this really goofy smile on his face all the time. I don't know why. He just did. He was always happy, no matter what the situation was. Colin, you were the nicest guy I've ever met and you will be greatly missed," Dureau said.