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The idea to do a Snowbirds cross-country tour — to lift the spirits of Canadians during COVID-19 — came from the late Capt. Jennifer Casey.
Padre Steven Filyk with the Rocky Mountain Rangers shared that bit of information during Thursday's Snowbirds tribute at the Kamloops Airport.
"I was talking with the (executive officer) of the Snowbirds the other night and he told me that Operation Inspiration was the idea, the brainchild of Capt. Casey. It was her idea to fly across the country to salute the care workers, to unite us during this very difficult time," Filyk told the crowd.
"It is a tragic situation, what has happened, what has unfolded. But there is a glimmer of beauty in it. She fulfilled her mission both in her life and in her death, as you can witness us gathering here," he added.
The 30-minute ceremony, organized by the Kamloops branch of the Royal Canadian Legion and 886 Wing (Overlander) RCAF Association, featured a moment of silence, "The Last Post," speeches and a laying of three wreaths.
Veterans, members of the @CanadianForces, and others at today’s tribute to #captjenncasey and the @CFSnowbirds in #Kamloops. pic.twitter.com/BtZVsSHToU
— Brendan Kergin ?? (@BKergin) May 21, 2020
Mayor Ken Christian talked about the "tremendous response" from Kamloops following Sunday's fatal plane crash in Brock, when Casey's and Capt. Richard MacDougall's jet went down shortly after takeoff. He praised all the first responders, including dispatch members, who were dealt "an unprecedented call volume."
The mayor said when the time is right, the City of Kamloops will create a Snowbirds memorial. One idea that has surfaced is renaming Airport Road, and calling it Capt. J. Casey Memorial Way. A petition to city hall has garnered more than 30,000 signatures.
"We're still in shock over the cruel irony of Operation Inspiration," Christian said. "And the near-miss that we had in the community of Brocklehurst, and we're processing that tragedy, but we, the citizens of Kamloops, stand with the residents of Nova Scotia in terms of our acknowledgment of this incident and our deepest sympathies and regrets to the family of Capt. Casey."
"And to the Snowbird family, the inspiration is not lost."
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