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- calendar_today November 11, 2026
Retired Veteran Receives Replica Medals After Original Set Stolen
Retired lieutenant-colonel Alan Kennedy, a 91-year-old veteran from New Brunswick, will mark this year’s Remembrance Day by wearing a set of replica medals after the originals were stolen from his home earlier this summer. The initiative to provide Kennedy with replacement medals was a joint effort by a fellow veteran and the generosity of a local business owner.
Theft of Precious Military Memories
On July 9, Kennedy’s home in Nasonworth was invaded by three individuals. According to Kennedy, the intruders bound him to a chair with zip ties before stealing a significant amount of money along with numerous military keepsakes, including his cherished medals. The suspects, described by authorities as two men and a woman, all tall and thin and wearing face coverings, remain unidentified. The RCMP West District community crime reduction unit continues to seek information concerning the incident.
Community Steps Up to Help
Upon learning of the theft, David Hughes, a retired captain and the current manager of the New Brunswick Military History Museum, was determined to help Kennedy. Recognizing that obtaining official replacements through military channels would take considerable time and with Remembrance Day approaching, Hughes turned to a local business for a quicker solution.
Businesswoman Offers Support
Hughes approached Michela Amato, owner of Michela’s Medal Mounting in Oromocto, to request assistance. According to Hughes, Amato was already aware of Kennedy’s situation and immediately offered to create the replica set free of charge, demonstrating what Hughes described as “great kindness and humanity.”
Presentation of the Replica Medals
The replica medals, completed a few weeks before Remembrance Day, were presented to Kennedy by Hughes in the company of fellow veterans. Hughes noted that helping Kennedy felt “really good,” calling it “the one little thing that I could do for him.” Kennedy expressed his appreciation for the effort, stating that the replicas “look exactly like the real ones.”
Honoring Decades of Service
The medals reflect Kennedy’s lengthy military career, which began in the artillery and included service with the Black Watch regiment—one of Canada’s oldest and most distinguished infantry regiments—the Royal Canadian Regiment, and the Canadian Airborne Regiment. The replacement set includes his officer of the Order of Military Merit, a medal for two tours of Cyprus, a United Nations medal recognizing time as a military observer in India and Pakistan, and his Canadian Forces’ Decoration with two clasps for 32 years of service.
Continuing Remembrance Day Tradition
Kennedy has worn his medals on Remembrance Day for many years, and thanks to this community effort, he will continue the tradition this November 11 with the new replica medals pinned over his heart.
Source: cbc.ca.
