Air Cadet League of Canada crest

21 Sept 2004

September 21, 2004
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Channer,

My name is Jean Mignault and I am the Executive Director of the Air Cadet League of Canada right here in Ottawa. I am a former Air Cadet who also learned to fly airplanes and gliders as an air cadet. I am writing on behalf of the National President Mr. Guy Albert, the Board of Governors, all of the members and volunteers of the Air Cadet League of Canada and Canada’s 26,000 Air Cadets to offer our deepest sympathies on the recent passing of your precious son Michael.

We in the extended Air Cadet family were also saddened by this tragic loss. While I did not know your son personally, I really felt a sense of loss when I saw the Memorial Services notice in the Ottawa Citizen. I certainly feel that the aviation community had not only lost a great aviator, but that the world was now short of a true gentleman. We share your deep sense of loss.

The testimonials on the Michael Channer Memorial Website reveal that Michael was an outstanding individual, i.e. one who truly espoused the Air Cadet motto – To Learn – To Serve – To Advance. We hope that you will find comfort in knowing that while the end was tragic, he left this earth experiencing his great love, the true gift of flight!

The poem, High Flight, has over the years become a mantra to pilots. It is reproduced below as a tribute to Michael, and in memory of pilots of all generations. We hope that you will take some comfort in knowing that, like Pilot Officer Magee who wrote this poem, Michael has indeed “put out his hand and touched the face of God”.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you in these difficult times. Please do not hesitate to contact us for support and/or assistance. We are pleased to see that you have decided to establish a Memorial Scholarship in Michael’s name. This is something that we have also done at the Air Cadet League of Canada for parents and friends of former air cadets who have also experienced a loss similar to yours.

Yours truly in support of Air Cadets,

Mr. Guy Albert
National President

and

Mr. Jean Mignault
Executive Director


High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew –
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Mr. Jean Mignault
Ottawa, Ontario
execdir@aircadetleague.com

21 Sept 2004

I feel compeled to write you my heartfelt sympathy for the loss of your son. My son Matt went through aviation at Sault College with Mike and they worked at the Waterloo airport together. Both have enjoyed growing up in the Ottawa Valley. Empathy is your pain in my heart!

To quote a mother who tragically lost a son and was the wife of a famous pioneer in aviation:

IT ISN'T
FOR THE MOMENT
YOU ARE STRUCK
THAT YOU NEED
COURAGE,
BUT FOR THE LONG
UPHILL CLIMB
BACK TO SANITY
AND FAITH
AND SECURITY.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

Gerry and Sharon, one day our paths will cross. Meanwhile, I wish you courage in your journey to find peace.

Laurie Sattler
Pakenham, ON
lsattler@stonebridgecollection.com

21 Sept 2004

Dear Gerry and Sharon,
Our hearts ache for you in the loss of your son. Although we never met him, his many accomplishments and adventurous spirit were an inspiration to all, and his "carpe diem" approach to life is a tribute to his amazing parents.
Our sincere condolences,

Doug & Cathy Younger-Lewis
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
doug.younger@sympatico.ca

21 Sept 2004

Sharon and Gerry,
We only met briefly this summer while on a mission trip in Ecuador in July, but we felt like you were angels sent by God. You blessed us and inspired us. We will always remember sitting in your VW in Torturas as you shared stories about your life, including stories about Mike.

As I have been praying for you I am reminded of Psalm 91:

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands"

Just as God sent you as angels for us, I pray that God will send you angels to be with you during this time.

Shalom,
Martita

Martha Rice
Runnymede United Church-Toronto, ON
martharice@canada.com

24 candles...one for each brief year of his life!

20 Sept 2004

Sharon & Gerry, you were very much in our thoughts on Saturday as we paraticipated in a "gruelling" 42 km. cyclathon along the Trans Canada Trail in southwestern Manitoba in 26'C temps. & 40-60 km. an hour winds! Mike would have loved the challenge! My (Liz) sported a "Bike for Mike" sign (see picture below)...I couldn't keep back the tears when fellow cyclists asked me about Mike. Upon our return to Winnipeg, we lit 24 candles...each representing one year of Mike's brief life!

We think Mike (Blopsy)had absolutely the best parents in the world! Our love and sympathy goes out to them!

Liz & Raymond

Elisabeth Loewen Genest (aka Liesbet-Anna)
Winnipeg, Manitoba
eloewen@ms.umanitoba.ca

Bike for Mike

20 Sept 2004

My best memories of Mike involve being really silly, and running around and acting crazy. He was reserved and quiet sometimes, but he was also a lot of fun. We spent hours speculating about how to get into the "secret room" in our house in Colombo, and trying to freak each other out with ghost stories. He was a truly unique kid, way wiser than me, and was consistently kind and patient with his 'Sri Lankan' younger siblings who were often really trying, I'm sure. He was also extraordinarily generous as a little kid - I remember thinking that he made me really look bad with his eagerness to share his belongings, including his dog and his gameboy, with us.
He also loved Michael Jackson, and I was proud to be the keyboardist for his tribute band. His rendition of "Bad" rocked the house. There is a picture somewhere that I would love to see! Hopefully it will make it onto the site.
It is a testament to how amazing and different a person Mike was that so many people will remember him with love. He had awesome friends of all ages, all over the world: getting to meet some of them this weekend was an honour. He had a wonderful girlfriend and and a great family that I was proud to be a surrogate part of. He had a challenging career that he loved and excelled at. Amazing people draw amazing people to them: this is really true of him. I was honored to speak on Saturday night, but Mike had a life so extraordinarily rich for a 24 year old that it would take many days to really do justice to his personality and life experience. Lots of people live to 100 with one millionth of Mike's experience and joy of living.
I was proud to say that Mike was my "Sri Lankan brother", and I will miss him a lot. Much love to you Gerry and Sharon, and I wish you peace of mind in this sad time.

Hilary Dudding
Toronto, Ont.
hilary.dudding@utoronto.ca