Light from darkness

The family of Michelle Mendes has shown extraordinary class - grace in the most cruelly testing of circumstances:

The farm where Major Michelle Mendes grew up was crowded with friends, neighbours and family members Monday night to host a group of students from her alma mater.

The visitors, a 15-member Royal Military College team training for next week's Nijmegen walk, were easy to spot in their fatigues. Their being able to participate in what is also known as the Walk of the World in Holland is at least partly due to support from the Major Michelle Mendes Memorial Foundation.

Mendes's parents Ron and Dianne Knight had decided this is just the kind of thing they would like to see supported by the foundation set up in their daughter's honour. The team chose to do Monday's daily training in the Grafton area, so they could stop by and say thanks.

So many RMC cadets felt a connection with Mendes, and this particular group was royally welcomed at the farm with an old-fashioned potluck barbecue -- complete with a cake decorated with plastic soldiers, camouflage icing and a picture of combat boots.

BZ to the Knights. Finding a way forward after such a tragedy is so difficult, and actions such as this show they're tackling that task with poise and courage.