Care package shirt sent to Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan comes full circle

In 2010, Master Cpl. Jason Lawrence, a primary care paramedic, was deployed to Afghanistan as a crew commander when he received a care package from Canada.

Inside was a Hamilton paramedic uniform shirt. For Lawrence, who grew up in Hamilton, it was a funny coincidence.

“I happened to open one of these boxes and I shared the rest of the content, like cookies and treats and stuff that came along with it, and I’m like, ‘why did someone send this?,’ or ‘what am I ever going to do with this here in Afghanistan?’,” said Lawrence. “Because it was from Hamilton, I was like, ‘oh that’s great, it’s from my hometown’.”

At the time, Lawrence didn’t know the meaning this shirt would someday carry.

“I just decided I want to get everybody in my squadron to sign it, and who they call sign and where they were from brings back a lot of memories, some good, some bad, but that kind of comes with the territory of just serving where we served at the same time,” said Lawrence.

For some, this shirt now serves as a reminder of those who never made it back home.

“There’s Larry, he’s one of the people that are no longer alive — there’s two other people from tours that are no longer with us,” said retired Canadian Armed Forces Master Cpl. Berk Sagocak, while pointing at signatures on the shirt.

“The biggest thing I’d like to honour is the memory of Larry Kreuger, who died on May 24, when we were there, and he was really a big part of the glue that held the squadron together — known to us as the Gentle Giant, and he was like, six-foot-seven, but the nicest guy that you’ve ever met,” said Lawrence.

When Lawrence returned home to Canada, that’s when the uniform shirt came full circle.

He became a primary care paramedic in Hamilton, now wearing the same uniform he received while in Afghanistan.

The shirt and its story is now being honoured.

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“It’s a symbol of the deep connection between the Royal Canadian Dragoons and the members of the Hamilton Paramedic Service,” said Director and chief of Hamilton Paramedic Services Russell Crocker. “It is also a reminder that in a world of cynicism, a simple gesture — that used uniform shirt — can be more than any material gift.”

Lawrence also had a message for the shirt’s sender.

“Thank you. Via the packages that you guys, and all the rest of the Canadians sent, really meant so much more than people realize when they were in country there,” said Lawrence. “Even just the little things — the package of gummy bears, it was fantastic, or shirts like this where you don’t really think about it in the time, but it turns out 15 years later that this is a fantastic memory to have, that’s going to be up here however long they decide to keep it up here on the wall.”

It also goes to show how sometimes the smallest acts of kindness can become so much more.

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