AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of the reported event.
- calendar_today November 1, 2026
Honoring a Fallen Daughter: Virginia Hicks' Story
Each year, Virginia Hicks makes her way to Canadian Forces Base Petawawa in northern Ontario to remember her daughter, Sapper Mariebeth Short. Sapper Short was killed in a training accident at the base on September 23, 2002, after the light armoured vehicle (LAV) she was in rolled over. At only 22 years old, she was preparing for a possible deployment to Afghanistan or Bosnia. Hicks describes her daughter as a determined "go-getter" who never quit, and recalls her pride in her military service.
Carrying the Torch as Silver Cross Mother
This year, Hicks has been recognized as the national Silver Cross Mother, an honor bestowed annually by the Royal Canadian Legion to the mother of a fallen Canadian Armed Forces member for Remembrance Day. In this role, she will lay a wreath at the cenotaph during the national ceremony in Ottawa on November 11. Hicks acknowledges the pain that comes with this recognition, stating, "It's a club nobody wants to belong to. In order to receive one, someone you love had to have died."
Connection to Recent Tragedy at CFB Wainwright
The upcoming Remembrance Day ceremony follows closely after a fatal incident at CFB Wainwright in Alberta, where a grass fire during a training exercise claimed the lives of Sgt. Morgan Wong, 26, Pte. Shaun Farrell, 23, Pte. Aidan Goulding, 23, and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, 19, on October 17. The tragedy left dozens more seriously injured, and a military investigation is ongoing. Hicks, deeply moved upon hearing the news, remarked, "We were sitting on the couch and all of a sudden it was just like you had a cold shower. I was like, oh my God, not again. I said, well, I now have four more members of our club."
Support and Faith for Grieving Military Families
Reflecting on her personal experience, Hicks urges new Memorial Cross recipients and families affected by the Wainwright tragedy to seek support and to trust in the ongoing military investigation. "I'm hoping that other Memorial Cross recipients understand that there is support. There's people out there that can help you with whatever you want, and your child or your husband or your wife are never going to be forgotten because their name is written down in history," she says. She emphasizes the importance of having faith and reassures that the sacrifices of their loved ones will not be forgotten.
Remembering Sapper Mariebeth Short: Small But Mighty
Sapper Short, affectionately known as "Shorty" on base, was known for her small stature—standing just 4-foot-11 and weighing between 90 and 95 pounds—but she tackled large tasks as a combat engineer. Her responsibilities included digging up mines, building bridges, and driving LAVs. Hicks recalls her daughter carrying two bridge pins, each weighing about 35 to 40 pounds. Short was a fourth-generation military member, with a proud family legacy extending from her mother and stepfather, both of whom had lengthy military careers, to her grandfather and great-grandfather.
Living With Loss and Finding Strength
Hicks admits that the grief of losing her daughter nearly led her and her husband to leave the military themselves. "We came very close to pulling the pin … after the accident. And it took us a couple of years, I think, to put ourselves together and say, OK, we're gonna stay." Now, as she prepares for Remembrance Day, Hicks honors not only her daughter’s sacrifice but also the sacrifices of all who have served and their families. "For me, it's a way of showing my pride to my country and to my daughter, for the sacrifices that she did for her own country."
Source: cbc.ca.
