Sandy Mellish - Silver Cross Parent

Full speech by Sandy Mellish, a guest speaker who participated in the International UN Peacekeepers Service held at our memorial park and gardens on May 31, 2026.

Thank you for that very reflective introduction, Dr. Ewing.

If I may bring that history down to the deeply human, and devastating reality of soldiers moving forward on the battlefield during a manoeuver historically known as Operation Medusa. A manoeuver that took the life of my son, WO Frank Mellish. But Frank did not fall alone. Also lost that day was WO Rick Noland, Sgt. Shane Stachnik, and Pte. William Cushley.

It is difficult to believe how many years have slipped by since that day; a day that would forever change the lives of our families. If we could for a time, just let the weather and the noise of the world fall away and allow ourselves to remember these men exactly as they were. They were proud service members, full of life, full of promise, and deeply loved.

That September 3^rd took something profound from all of us. In a harsh combat zone, far away in the Panjwai district of Kandahar Province; the futures we had envisioned with our loved ones were re-written in an instant. The shock, disbelief, and the overwhelming weight of that call … are, are things that never truly leave a parent…nor the heart of a loved one.   

The pathway to that day…September 11, 2001, when terror struck “The World Trade Center”. And that day, Frank called and asked if I was watching TV, “Yes, I said, it is terrible”!

Professionally, yet serenely, Frank said, “The world as we know it is over”.

That day 2,977 innocent lives were lost, including 24 Canadians. This would prove to be the onset of a far-off war…and where contrary to current leadership to the south; our troops did not stand back, instead in a valiant effort to bring about change for the people of Afghanistan, our Canadian troops, fought side by side, with their American counterparts.

Following Frank’s death, I was asked, “what were we doing there”? I quickly but accurately responded with, “trust me, there was ‘NO WE’, it was ‘them’ our Canadian professional military women and men, those who go forward and risk their lives on our behalf. Our civilian public did not face the dust, the heat, nor the enemy. Frank, Rick, Shane, and William did. They did not choose the mission; they did not draft the policies. ‘THEY’ my friends, did what their country asked of them. Those WE elect, hopefully, choose diligently where and when to send our troops. Then our troops go to do their bidding on behalf of all of Canada. And this my friends, is the only place the ‘WE ’comes in. Our only role now…to Remember them.