Reservist son died in worthy cause, parents say
The parents of the reservist killed in a suicide bombing near Kandahar told CBC Monday their son died for a worthy cause and that they wouldn't stop their daughter, also a soldier, from returning to serve in Afghanistan.
Cpl. Jason Warren 29, of Montreal, and Cpl. Francisco Gomez, 44, of Edmonton died on July 22 when a suicide bomber blew up his vehicle close to their troop carrier near the coalition base in Kandahar.
Gerald and Deborah Warren said they believe their son died fighting for a cause he believed in.
"I asked him, 'Do you feel you're accomplishing anything there? Because for a lot of people here, it seems very hopeless," said Gerald Warren. "And he said, "Yes, and we are accomplishing, It's not easy and it's a long haul, but there are some achievements there.' "
The Warrens said they last talked to their son by satellite phone just two days before the fatal attack.
"I told him, I said 'We've got your back Jason,' and I love you so much and he said 'I love you Mom,'" said Deborah Warren.
Cpl. Warren served with the Black Watch, the Royal Highland Regiment of Canada. It was his second overseas mission, following a deployment in Bosnia in 2002.
Eight others, including one Canadian, were injured in the attack that killed Gomez and Warren.
Coalition soldiers honoured the pair of fallen soldiers in a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield two days after the bombing, with Canadian military officials gathering at CFB Trenton in eastern Ontario last Thursday at a repatriation ceremony.
"Those guys in Afghanistan treated our son with such dignity and we felt such an outpouring of love from them and we know that it's hard for them," said Gerald Warren.
Cpl. Rachel Warren of the Royal Canadian Dragoons of Petawawa, Ont., has already done two tours of duty in Afghanistan as a soldier and plans to return.
"I would never, never try to stop her," said Deborah Warren. "It would be so hard as a mother. I would not want to lose another child, but I would never stand in her way. Just hug her a lot before she leaves.
"Her gut reaction is a soldier's gut reaction: I'd like to go finish what Jason tried to accomplish," added a tearful Gerald Warren.
The funeral for Cpl. Warren will be held in Montreal on Wednesday.
A private funeral will be held for Cpl. Gomez on Tuesday in Edmonton.
Last week, George Gomez, the soldier's father, said he died for a worthy cause.
"We are not broken up about his death because we know from the philosophy that we have, he is still alive," said Gomez.
Since Canada began its mission in Afghanistan in 2002, 19 soldiers and one diplomat have been killed.