The legacy of Pte. Colin William Wilmot has been woven into the fabric of Canadian history thanks, in part, to friend Matthew Heneghan.

Almost 16 years have passed since Wilmot was killed by an explosive device while in service with the Canadian Armed Forces含羞草研究社� 1 Field Ambulance Unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Yet memories of Wilmot are still vivid in the mind of Falkland-based author and Salmon Arm Secondary grad, Matthew Heneghan, who shares the story of his friendship with Wilmot in his latest book, Woven in War.

Described as a tribute to Wilmot, the book chronicles the 13-year journey an Edmonton Oilers shirt that belonged to him, from his former bunk in Kandahar to Heneghan含羞草研究社檚 North Okanagan home.

Since its release on April 20, the book has topped several categories on Amazon, including #1 in Canadian Military History. But Heneghan stressed the book will appeal to more than military buffs.

含羞草研究社淚 feel anybody who has ever experienced love and endured the pain of loss will understand what含羞草研究社檚 happening in this book,含羞草研究社� said Heneghan.

That pain is something Heneghan has been working on since he first learned Wilmot had been killed in service. The two bonded while training in the same unit at the Edmonton Canadian Forces base. Wilmot deployed in 2008, while Heneghan stayed behind for personal reasons.

含羞草研究社淭he day I was released from the military was the day I found out he was the Canadian casualty they were talking about on the news,含羞草研究社� said Heneghan. 含羞草研究社淭hat was a pretty harrowing moment含羞草研究社� so for a number of years I was kind of living with that sense of grief含羞草研究社� survivor含羞草研究社檚 guilt too, because I didn含羞草研究社檛 deploy with my unit.

含羞草研究社淚 felt like I had let them down.含羞草研究社�

Woven in War was written by Heneghan with Philip Hunter, a veteran who, in his deployment to Afghanistan wound up being assigned to Wilmot含羞草研究社檚 bunk.

含羞草研究社淎t that base, he found an old, dirty Edmonton Oilers T-shirt that was hanging sort of in effigy to Colin,含羞草研究社� said Heneghan. At the end of his tour, when the base was being torn down, Hunter took the shirt, intent on passing it along to Wilmot含羞草研究社檚 family.

含羞草研究社淗e got in touch with Colin含羞草研究社檚 sister含羞草研究社� made connections, and it was politely declined 含羞草研究社� they said we含羞草研究社檝e made our peace and thought he might find a better place for it or keep it himself,含羞草研究社� said Heneghan.

In 2019, Heneghan released his first book, A Medic含羞草研究社檚 Mind, in which he documents his transition from military medic to civilian paramedic, and the mental health challenges he含羞草研究社檚 endured along the way.

含羞草研究社淭he book includes a story about Colin and what he meant to me,含羞草研究社� said Heneghan.

Hunter happened to read the book and, after holding onto the shirt for 13 years, finally knew who it should go to. In 2021, around Christmas, Heneghan would receive an unexpected package in the mail.

含羞草研究社淚t was the Oilers T-shirt along with a note, a story of what it was and how it was found, so that obviously was a huge moment for me,含羞草研究社� said Heneghan. 含羞草研究社淏eing around Christmas time, it kind of felt like Colin had come to visit for the holidays. It was something I felt I really wanted to tell people about because it was such a serendipitous event, I felt I need to write about this.含羞草研究社�

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Heneghan wrote a short story about the experience, which received national attention, and the shirt wound up finding a new home in the Canadian War Museum. But Heneghan felt the story was not yet finished.

含羞草研究社淚 wanted to tell people why it was so significant,含羞草研究社� said Heneghan. 含羞草研究社淧eople can hear about the singular event and go 含羞草研究社榶eah, that含羞草研究社檚 a pretty special story,含羞草研究社� but I wanted people to know who Colin was, or who I knew him to be, so I stared writing things down.含羞草研究社�

After writing his part of the story, Heneghan含羞草研究社檚 publisher reached out to Hunter who, while deployed, had been writing letters to his wife almost daily.

含羞草研究社淲e found some parallels between his letters and my experience being here in Canada, going through my own things while he was going through his own things,含羞草研究社� said Heneghan. 含羞草研究社淪o the book kind of took a new shape where it was my story interlaced with his story and the whole time throughout the chapters of the book the shirt is making its journey.含羞草研究社�

The process of writing and releasing the book has been another step in Heneghan含羞草研究社檚 own journey of healing. His hope is that others on a similar journey might find a helpful connection in the book.

含羞草研究社淚 loved being a medic含羞草研究社� I had the ability to help and intervene in certain cases,含羞草研究社� said Heneghan. 含羞草研究社淣ow that I can含羞草研究社檛 be a medic, it含羞草研究社檚 not healthy for me anymore, my hope is that with this medium, with putting things out into the ether含羞草研究社� someone like me, someone who was含羞草研究社� or is in a bad or lonely or isolated place, comes across these words and they含羞草研究社檙e able to see themselves in that story含羞草研究社� and in seeing those similarities, they come to the understanding that you含羞草研究社檙e never quite as alone as you think. That含羞草研究社檚 always been my hope.含羞草研究社�

Released by Wintertickle Press, Woven in War is now available in paperback and for Kindle. Heneghan is looking forward to a book signing, possibly in June, at Bookingham Palace at the Mall at Piccadilly.

For more information, visit amedicsmind.com.