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害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淚 feel anybody who has ever experienced love and endured the pain of loss will understand what害羞草研究所檚 happening in this book,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淭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,害羞草研究所� said Heneghan. 害羞草研究所淭hat was a pretty harrowing moment害羞草研究所� so for a number of years I was kind of living with that sense of grief害羞草研究所� survivor害羞草研究所檚 guilt too, because I didn害羞草研究所檛 deploy with my unit.

害羞草研究所淚 felt like I had let them down.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淎t that base, he found an old, dirty Edmonton Oilers T-shirt that was hanging sort of in effigy to Colin,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 family.

害羞草研究所淗e got in touch with Colin害羞草研究所檚 sister害羞草研究所� made connections, and it was politely declined 害羞草研究所� they said we害羞草研究所檝e made our peace and thought he might find a better place for it or keep it himself,害羞草研究所� said Heneghan.

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

害羞草研究所淭he book includes a story about Colin and what he meant to me,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淚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,害羞草研究所� said Heneghan. 害羞草研究所淏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.害羞草研究所�

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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.

害羞草研究所淚 wanted to tell people why it was so significant,害羞草研究所� said Heneghan. 害羞草研究所淧eople can hear about the singular event and go 害羞草研究所榶eah, that害羞草研究所檚 a pretty special story,害羞草研究所� but I wanted people to know who Colin was, or who I knew him to be, so I stared writing things down.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淲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,害羞草研究所� said Heneghan. 害羞草研究所淪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.害羞草研究所�

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

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

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.