TORONTO -- A 100-year-old veteran will be among thousands of current and former military members who will be taking in Remembrance Day a little differently this year, but at least he knows thousands of people recognize his sacrifice.
Fred Arsenault joined the Cape Breton Highlanders in 1940 and was involved in both the Italian campaign and the Liberation of the Netherlands during the Second World War. He is among the few surviving members from the regiment.
鈥淥f the 6,000 men, there's five left that they know of," Arsenault鈥檚 son Ron told 麻豆传媒.
Arsenault, originally from Prince Edward Island, now lives at the veterans centre at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, where veterans would traditionally attend a special service on Remembrance Day, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, things have been scaled back.
Ron Arsenault called the cancelled ceremonies 鈥渞eally hard鈥� but added his family can take solace in knowing that thousands of people from around the world have already acknowledged his father鈥檚 sacrifice.
Arsenault turned 100 years old back in March and had hoped to receive 100 birthday cards from strangers to celebrate the occasion, but the plea went viral to the point where he has received more than 100,000 cards.
"Great to know that so many people think the world of me,鈥� Arsenault said. 鈥淚 didn't think I was that good."
Among the thousands of cards that arrived from around the world included large numbers from the Netherlands and the Czech Republic and from students who connected with his story.
"It's hard to believe that I had got that many cards," he said.
