A visit frozen in time
Rankin group unknowingly met Parliament Hill hero
during trip to Ottawa earlier this year
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, October 29, 2014
RANKIN INLET
They couldn't possibly have known, but when the Rankin Inlet grads of Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik's (MUI) Class of 2014 had their photo taken with the kindly gentleman on Parliament Hill this past January, their images were frozen in time with a future Canadian hero.
House of Commons Sergeant-At-Arms Kevin Vickers received a standing ovation in the House of Commons this past week for his actions in stopping the gunman who killed a soldier and stormed Parliament on Oct. 22. - photo via Facebook |
The man who graciously agreed to pose with the Rankin teens and two of their teachers during their grad trip was House of Commons sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers.
The same Kevin Vickers who, on Oct. 22, helped bring down a gunman who had already killed once before storming Parliament Hill.
Chaperone and graduate parent Chris Rudd said he had no idea who Vickers was the day the photo was taken.
He said he learned Vickers, 58, was a former RCMP officer who had spent about a decade in the North, and now held a distinguished position on the Hill, but he never thought any more about it until Michael Zehaf-Bibeau killed Hamilton reservist Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, 24, in cold blood at the National War Memorial before rushing Parliament's Centre Block.
"The meeting was set up by Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq's office," said Rudd.
"I'm fairly tall, but, when we met the guy (Vickers), he towered over me.
"I'm sure he was very busy at the time, but he took the time to meet the kids and have photos taken with them.
"He was just a very, very nice guy."
Rudd said he was stunned when he realized Vickers was the same man who helped stop Zehaf-Bibeau's rampage this past week.
He said to be as responsive as Vickers was under that kind of pressure is incredible.
"During his brief time with us, I would describe him as a big guy who was very kind and gentle. He was very relaxed and accommodating with everyone in our group. I first saw his image when Jimi Onalik posted his picture on Facebook and I thought, 'Holy crap, that's the guy we met.'
"I couldn't believe he was the guy who pulled out his sidearm, went eye-to-eye with that nut and took him down."
Rudd said to him, there's no question the MUI group was in the presence of a hero the day they met Vickers.
He said the meeting is one of life's ironies, and gives him a story to tell for a good many years.
"Having met him - with his demeanour that day - and now knowing what he did is shocking.
"You don't know what someone else might have done in that position, with the pressure and adrenaline flying through their body.
"He had the presence of mind and coolness to use his training to stop the guy.
"So, yeah, he's a hero to me all right."
Vickers has a very large Northern connection since he served with the RCMP for eight years in the NWT.
Vickers' postings included Behchoko, Yellowknife and Fort Resolution. His brother, Will, is a teacher in Yellowknife.
