MIRAMICHI, N.B. – Family and friends shared memories Thursday of Kevin Vickers, the man being hailed a hero across the country.
Keith Vickers grew up on the Miramichi playing with his younger cousin Kevin Vickers.
“Growing up together in the back road in Miramichi he was always a little bit more responsible,” Vickers said. “When we were getting into trouble he would always sense when we were going down that road and he had the sensibility about him to step back.”
WATCH: Video shows Kevin Vickers with gun drawn after shooting Ottawa gunman
His cousin says he always did the right thing. So he’s not surprise the retired RCMP officer was the one to take down the shooter in Ottawa Wednesday.
“I just shook my head, yes, I can see Kevin doing that.”
Paul Adair is a family friend and worked for Vickers’ father for 25 years. He says Kevin has made the entire community proud.
“I think Kevin did a great job and saved a lot of people and everyone is happy,” he said.
The Vickers family has deep roots in Miramichi. The former Vickers family homestead overlooks the Northumberland Co-op and hardware store Kevin’s father ran for years.
Those who don’t know Kevin personally, certainly know of him.
Miramichi mayor, Gerry Cormier, says Vickers was already a hometown hero. He was the lead RCMP negotiator during the Burnt Church crisis in 2000.
“This is the natural recourse of what he would do because of his background to protect his fellow man,” Cormier said.
So Thursday, the city lowered flags to half mast in his honour, and to honour of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, the soldier killed by the shooter Vickers ultimately stopped.
Adair says Kevin’s father, who passed about five years ago, would be incredibly proud of his son.
“I can almost see his dad: ‘Okay, chum, that’s my boy.'”
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