
Friends and family members of Capt. Jennifer Casey at the May She Soar Memorial at Fulton Field Park. (Photo via Brett Mineer)
Kamloopsians and other dignitaries gathered at Fulton Field Park this morning as a monument to Snowbirds Capt. Jennifer Casey was dedicated.
“Certainly a poignant day remembering Capt. Jennifer Casey and as well the dedication of Fulton Field Park by the airport there,” Canadian Armed Forces Public Affairs Officer Maj. Trevor Reid told Radio NL. “Of course Wing Commander Fulton being a legend in his own right.”
“I think this is a very important day for many people in Kamloops.”
Capt. Casey – the brainchild behind Operation Inspiration in the early days of the COVID pandemic – was killed when the Snowbirds Tutor jet she was in crashed into a house on Glenview Avenue, in the Brocklehurst area of Kamloops on May 17, 2020.
An investigation later concluded that Snowbird 11 lost power after a small bird was sucked into the engine shortly after takeoff.
“She was exceptionally dedicated,” Reid added of his former colleague.
“She was recognized in fact for her dedication with a posthumous meritorious service medal. This was given to her basically for some of her innovation she had with social media and certainly during Operation Inspiration given what the world was going through at that time.”
The memorial – a full-sized replica of a Snowbirds Tutor jet made entirely of metallic maple leaves – is Kamloops’ way of memorializing the crash that also injured Snowbirds pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall.
“The monument is inspired by the heartfelt tributes that appeared along Fulton Field,” the City of Kamloops said, in a statement. “The plane is a mosaic of maple leaves held together by branches, suggesting an emotional connection among Canadians, lifted upward in memory of a hero.”
“Angled as if in flight, the memorial points to Jenn’s spirit, soaring above us with bravery, determination, and selflessness.”
Today was the dedication ceremony for the Cpt. Jenn Casey Memorial at Fulton Field (#Kamloops airport). Cpt. Casey was a CAF Public Affairs Officer killed in the crash of a Snowbirds CT-114 Tutor jet during Operation Inspiration. pic.twitter.com/KeO3NTy0fF
— Brett Mineer (@MineerBrett) August 29, 2024
Dan McDonald, a former roommate of Capt. Casey at Dalhousie University, told Radio NL the memorial is a beautiful tribute.
“It certainly encompasses her love of Canada,” McDonald said. “I flew in at night and I got to see it lit up. Its beautiful at night, its certainly beautiful in the day time.”
McDonald – who was at Kamloops City Hall when former mayor Ken Christian announced the creation of the memorial – says while the crash and the events in the days after seems like a blur these days, it is hard to lose a friend at such a young age.
“To lose your best friend at 35, that is strange on its own but to lose her in such a public way, its surreal to have to see it on the news over and over,” McDonald said. “Its like a double-edged sword, I guess.”
“In one sense its comforting to know that the whole nation is grieving with you and supporting you but its also just very strange because sometimes you want that privacy to grieve.”
Morgan Muise was also in Kamloops the day the memorial to her childhood friend was announced, and told Radio NL she is very pleased with how it turned out.
“It’s hard to have any expectations about anything at this point. You’re just grateful for people that are still keeping her memory at the forefront of everyone’s minds,” Muise said.
“I had no expectations about what anything would look like but if I did it would have been blown out of the water because what is here today is incredible.”
Muise also said she wished that everyone had the chance to get to know Capt. Casey, who she met on the first day of school at the age of five.
“Those that did know, knew that she was a fiercely local friend,” Muise added.
“She was an incredible teammate and just the type of person that always had a positive attitude. She always showed up in a way that elevated those around her. Her work ethic pushed people to work harder.”
Speaking on NL Mornings, Maj. Reid likened the memorial to cenotaphs that honour war veterans in Canada from coast to coast.
“So certainly a memorial like this to Capt. Casey and of course naming the field after Wing Commander Fulton, who was a Second World War hero from Kamloops and the first commanding officer of 419 Moose Squadron, I think those are also very significant,” Reid said.
Plans to build the Fulton Field Park have been part in the works for over a decade.
“It pays homage to the aviation roots there with Fulton Field and obviously the tragedy that happened with Capt. Casey,” Matt Kachel, the City of Kamloops’ Capital Projects Manager, told Radio NL in April.
“We kind of tried to bring that all together, and the artist tried to draw inspiration from all of that, not only for the art piece but also the surrounding landscape.”