A procession with full military honours will take Capt. Jennifer Casey’s remains home on Sunday. The 35-year-old former journalist and public affairs officer for the Snowbirds was killed after ejecting from a CT-114 Tutor in Kamloops, B.C. on May 17. The pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall, survived and is recovering from serious injuries in hospital in Kamloops. The pair was part of a flight of two Tutors that was heading for Comox from Kamloops as part of the Operation Inspiration tribute tour in honour of frontline workers in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Casey was born in Halifax and a military transport aircraft will fly her body to Halifax. From there, a procession will carry her from the airport to the city and then through the north end of the Halifax peninsula. The lengthy route was chosen to ensure enough room for social distancing among the thousands of Haligonians who are expected to pay their respects. Her family has already thanked Canadians for the outpouring of support for Casey. “Her beautiful smile and positively infectious personality could brighten anyone’s day,” the family’s statement said. “She proudly served the mission as she flew across our great nation with a team that she adored.”