Chad highly valued his faith, his family, and his mission.

Among the artwork Chad proudly displayed on his body were a poppy tattoo on his neck with the words “For those who fought and died,” and the phrase “No one ever really dies” across his chest. Every tattoo had meaning for him and many were a testament to his Christian beliefs as clearly indicated by the Lord’s Prayer, which was tattooed on his arm.

Chad was fun-loving and free-spirited. He enjoyed spending time in the outdoors with his many friends where he would camp and snowboard. He also enjoyed parachuting and motorcycling. He was generous and spent his money freely. He had a pitbull named Onyx at home and talked about the cats that slept in his bag in Afghanistan.

Along with valuing his faith, Chad also valued his family. Throughout his two tours in Afghanistan, he was in daily contact with his family, whether it was through email, telephone or messaging. Chad’s maternal grandfather passed away a week before Chad. His family took comfort in believing that Chad and his grandfather were together.

Chad took pride in being a member of the Canadian Forces. He was a dedicated soldier who valued his contribution in Afghanistan. He took every opportunity to physically and mentally challenge himself and he encouraged others to do the same. He was a charismatic leader, who believed he could accomplish anything and those around him felt the same.

By Shari Narine

Portrait by Susan Abma