HALIFAX – It’s a sad day across the country as we say a final good-bye to a fallen RCMP officer on Monday.
Constable David Wynn passed away last Wednesday, four days after being shot in St. Albert, Alberta. To mark his passing, the group Spouses of the RCMP are asking people to wear red today to show their support.
This is the second time the Spouses of the RCMP have made this request. The first time was last June, when three mounties died in a Moncton shooting spree. Red was worn across the country and around the world for their funerals. The group is hoping for the same today.
A regimental funeral will be held Monday in St. Albert, the small Alberta community where Constable David Wynn died while on duty.
A woman living in Nunavut, with ties to Nova Scotia has organized a campaign to get the world to wear red today. Krysta Erickson is married to an RCMP officer. She’s just one of many spouses hoping to raise awareness.
“The wear red campaign was started by a facebook group called ‘Spouses of the RCMP'”, says Erickson. “It is a group that obviously provides support for spouses of the RCMP. It was created originally in June of 2014 for the Moncton tragedy to show the support of everyone, really.”
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Erickson says it grew not only across Canada but worldwide, with people wearing red in honour of fallen Mounties.
“Red was selected because in a time of mourning our boys and girls wear their red surges,” says Erickson. “It’s often referred to as a sea of red and the idea behind it was that when they’re standing and marching, they’re not alone – they can look around in the crowd and see others wearing red and know that they’re supported.”
Its hoped 80,000 people will get on board and get involved. Erickson says the red in the crowd was quite visable at the funeral for the Moncton RCMP officers last June and she’d like to see that again.
“It’s just such a heart-warming experience to see that and to know that people heard our message,” says Erickson. “Our goal is that hopefully officer Wynn’s wife and children can look around and see all the red shirts and know that the sacrifice made is much appreciated.”
READ MORE: RCMP officer shot in Alberta has Nova Scotia roots
Cst. Wynn once worked as a paramedic in Bridgewater, NS. RCMP in the area will broadcast his funeral live at the Best Western in Bridgewater. The funeral procession starts at 4:00 p.m. Atlantic time. Sgt. Al Leblanc says doors open to the public at 3:30 p.m.
Kevin Davison will sing at Wynn’s funeral today. The two worked together in Bridgewater as paramedics.
WATCH: Kevin Davison performs PTSD tribute song on The Morning News
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