Lt. Andrew Richard Nuttall

I didn’t know Andrew well. We were ships passing in the night at UVic. I was arts, he was focused.

We hung out a few times after university. He was such a big soul.

He was lost in Afghanistan.

For whatever that war was worth.

I see his name at the cenotaph.

It still doesn’t seem real.

And now I’m crying on my commute. I don’t feel guilty because I’m not downtown at the big service. He would rather me pull myself together for work even if I am upset today. Clergy normally has to be cold and distant.

We didn’t know each other well.

We only hung out once or twice but the impact of that has carried me through rough times.

Be a superhero today.

Do something out of your comfort zone that inspires others.

I don’t expect people who aren’t Canadian to understand why we take a day of mourning out for veterans. It’s important to me. My Great Grandpa and My Grandpa fought in WW1&2. Andrew was wrong place wrong time. He did everything right as military, it was his time.

But I miss him. I wish I knew him longer.