WATCH: Members of the RCMP musical ride are preparing to perform in Moncton as part of a tribute to the three officers killed in last year’s shooting rampage. Shelley Steeves reports.
MONCTON – Corporal Beverly White is trying to prepare for the most emotional performance of her career.
The RCMP Musical Ride will hold a special tribute performance in Moncton on Thursday, a year to the day that three Mounties were gunned down in Moncton’s north end.
“This show will be the most challenging show to ride in,” said White “It’s going to be very, very hard for all of us.”
White said she was on tour with the Musical Ride when the shootings happened.
“As a group, the Musical Ride we came together…and we felt almost like we were helpless,” she said. “We often refer to ourselves as family, and for us that day we lost three members of our family.”
White, who is from Rothesay, said the shootings hit far too close to home.
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“Things like that don’t happen here and especially on the east coast,” she said.
On Thursday, she said she will be riding for the fallen members “and for those families and for the members that are still working in Moncton, because there are still members there that have to go to work every single day.”
Const. Tiffany Donnelly is from Moncton and said she will be performing in her hometown for the first time.
“I am glad we will be doing something for them and it will be nice,” she said.
Donnelly, who joined the Musical Ride in the past year, said she expects it to be a tough day.
“It’s an honour to be there and it’s going to be very special, but it’s difficult with everything that has happened,” she said.
The performance will hold special meaning for Nadine Larche, the widow of Const. Doug Larche.
She said her husband was inspired to join the RCMP after seeing the Musical Ride perform about 15 years ago.
“We always went to see the Musical Ride when it was close because not only did we love seeing it, but we also loved it for all it symbolizes and represents,” she said in a message sent to Global News.
Donnelly and White both hope Thursday’s performance will help the community come together and heal.
“Being able to come to Moncton this year and perform not only for the members, but also the community that has been victimized by this incident, will go a great way of healing us as well,” said White.
The performance will be held outdoors, rain or shine, at the Magnetic Hill concert site at 7 p.m., with free admission.
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