ABOVE: House of Commons acknowledges the passing of Ernest Côté
A Second World War veteran who was recently the victim of a violent home invasion has died, his family confirmed.
Ernest Côté was a D-Day veteran who landed on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944. Former veterans affairs minister Julian Fantino travelled with him last year to France to help commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Normandy.
“The Côté family regrets to announce the death of 101-year-old Ernest Côté from natural causes on Wednesday Feb. 25th at the Montfort Hospital in Ottawa,” the family confirmed in a statement.
“He leaves behind his grieving sons and daughters Michel, Benoît, Denyse et Lucie, his grand children Isa, Étienne, Stéphane et Tess, his duaghter-in-law Dianne. His wife, Madeleine Frémont passed away in 1991.”
Côté was one of only 50 recipients of a Canada flag from the prime minister on the flag’s anniversary earlier this month, Veterans Affairs Minister Erin O’Toole said in the House of Commons, shortly after news of the death hit.
READ MORE: ‘I was mad as a wasp,’ says 101-year-old war vet home invasion victim
“A personal highlight of my public life was seeing Mr. Côté, at 101, park his walker and walk on to Juno Beach last year,” the minister said. “I’d ask all members of the House to thank the Côté family for his tremendous record of service to Canada.”
Last December, Côté was tied up in his home and robbed by a man posing as a city employee.
The attack prompted widespread outrage.
The man charged in the robbery was later charged in connection to a 2007 triple homicide.
READ MORE: Man charged in 2007 triple homicide to stay behind bars until April
Police had said Côté was alone in his apartment when a man claiming to work for the city asked to be buzzed in.
The phony employee went to the apartment and asked for money at the door, then forced his way inside when his demands weren’t met.
Police said the intruder bound Côté and took undisclosed items from the apartment.
Côté later managed to free himself and call police.
His funeral will be on March 7 in Ottawa.
Côté’s family asked that donations in his honour be sent to the Montfort Hospital.
With files from The Canadian Press
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