Corporal Matthew Dinning was just 23-year-old when he was killed on duty while serving in Afghanistan. And even though he died seven years ago, a group called Canadian Heroes is working hard to keep his memory alive.
A special memorial car will hit the track at Varney Motor Speedway on Saturday night to take part in a tribute race for the fallen solider.
Master Corporal Jonathan Schwemler will get behind the wheel and driver number 45, the car designed to remember Corporal Dinning.
“It probably wasn’t until I lost two or three in Afghanistan that it really started clicking for me.” Schwemler says about remembering his fallen comrades.
Schwemler never met Matthew Dinning but hopes he will honour his memory by winning the race and celebrating his life.
Canadian Heroes is the organization that designed the memorial car and organized memorial race at Varney Motor Speedway.
There are six of these tribute cars in total and each one has a specially fabricated and built hood. Once the memorial race is done, the hood is taken off the car and presented to the family.
Matthew’s mom Laurie Dinning says they will hang it in the basement where the entire family can enjoy it.
“For us remembrance is every day, it’s not just on November 11th.” Dinning says.
Canadian Heroes’ next project is a race car to remember fallen emergency responders here in Ontario.
