Sam Charon

As time marches on, we might neglect to honour key people in our lives, long gone now, who made sacrifices for us, for our communities, for our country.

It is important to take the time to think of our dearly departed parents, and possibly siblings and other family members who nurtured us and helped create important memories. Say a prayer for their souls and visit their gravesite.

Friends and supporters are to be duly recognized as having made a difference to our personal history and success.

One such individual, a friend and “hero” to Generations Foundation, was Sam Charon, who died October 4.

He was a member of the Air Cadet Corps at 15 and in the Royal Canadian Air Force at 17. Those who knew him remember him as a “mensch,” a person of integrity, honour and empathy.

He was an advocate for our veterans and merchant marines. The phone never stopped ringing at his home, where he raised money for charities. He engaged companies to donate to needy causes and spent countless hours with callers and visitors to handle their difficult situations.

We marveled at his strength and courage in struggling with his family’s health issues as well as his own in his last years. Despite the loss of his youngest daughter, Stacey, last year and the struggle with cancer of his eldest daughter, who lives in Oregon, Charon was, till the end, concerned for those who most needed him.

We proudly dedicate our column to him and to heroes like him, to all war, police and fire heroes, who continue to put their love of people and community before themselves.

Thanks Nicolo Morena and Johnny Azzue at St. Viateur Bagel & Café for their generosity in directing proceeds from the sale of 1,000 dozen bagels and breakfasts on October 3 and to all who participated to benefit Generations Foundation food programs.