‘You need evil to bring out the good ‘

A child traces the name of Nathan Cirillo on a poster at a small candlelight vigil on Sunday that was held in Corktown Park, the neighbourhood where Cirillo lived, in Hamilton, Ont. 26, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power

HAMILTON, Ont. — On Wednesday night, after the attack, I tracked down the Twitter account of one of the Canadians fighting for the caliphate in a desert far away.

The misguided or demented young man, whose name I won’t share with you, was tweeting celebratory messages. He expressed glee, for instance, when Wednesday night’s Sens-Bruins game was called off. I think that’s as good as it’s going to get for buddy. I expect that if he lives long enough — and I don’t care either way — he’ll realize that himself.

Because for all the fear and suffering that resulted from Wednesday’s shooting, it hasn’t made us fearful or hateful, and it doesn’t look like it will.

In fact, it gave people opportunities to do things that matter — to be brave or strong or compassionate or wise — to show us what we are made of.

Consider the tragic death of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, who was standing guard in his kilt on a sunny Ottawa morning one moment and breathing his last on the ground the next.

His friends and family members arrived somber-faced Sunday evening for a private visitation at Markey Dermody Funeral Home in Hamilton. There will be a public visitation from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday. He will be laid to rest in a full regimental funeral at Christ’s Church Cathedral at noon on Tuesday.

Cirillo’s death tore a terrible hole of suffering and loss that will never fully heal for his loved ones, his little son especially, but it also brought out good things in many people, and they, and we, get to think about them, and remember what good we are capable of.

It starts with Brandon Stevenson, the soldier standing next to Cirillo standing guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier that afternoon. After Cirillo was shot, Stevenson tried to chase the shooter down, although the rifles he and Cirillo were carrying were unloaded.

People sign a book of condolences outside the Markey-Dermody Funeral Home in Hamilton, Ontario, on Sunday, Oct. 26. Photo: The Canadian Press

According to the heartbreaking account of Cirillo’s last moments written by Laura Eggertson, a soldier — I don’t know if it was Stevenson or another — administered first aid to Cirillo, telling him: “You’re doing good, you’re doing good, buddy. You’re breathing — keep breathing.”

Barbara Winters, a former naval reservist with first aid training who just happened to walk past at the moment of the shooting, was kneeling next to Cirillo, trying to save his life.

She recited thel Lord’s Prayer for him, held him and told him how much he was loved.

And think of Kaz Nejatian, a former Jason Kenney staffer, who set up StandOnGuardFund.com, a website to raise money for the families of Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, who was killed in Quebec.

And think of 1,971 Canadians who donated $165,495 to that fund as of Sunday night, so that those families, for all they have lost, will not want for money in the painful days ahead.

And think of the soldiers of the Royal Canadian Regiment who took Cirillo’s place on Friday.

And think of the people who stood in line to place flowers on the memorial, so many flowers that the thing looked like a wreath, not a monument.

Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, 24, died after being shot at the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa. Photo: Facebook

Then think of all the people who lined the Highway of Heroes as Cirillo’s comrades drove his casket to Hamilton. They pulled to the side of the road and stood there to watch him go by, stood on the overpasses with their flags.
I went to Club Absinthe, a gritty rock ‘n’ roll bar in downtown Hamilton, where Cirillo used to be a bouncer on Sunday nights.

Leo Gagnon, a fellow bouncer, has known Cirillo since Grade 9. They worked side by side and played sports together for years.

He said the staff at the club are struggling to keep it together since they heard the news.

“We’re doing the best we can to just keep on and be strong,” he told me. “I’m sure he would have appreciated it too. If he ever had a problem he wasn’t somebody who would share it with everybody. He’d take care of it himself. He was always positive. That’s it.”

Gagnon is struggling to focus on the good thing that have come from the loss of his friend.

“It’s a paradox,” he said. “It’s like the old cliche. You need evil to bring out the good. And I think that’s what we’re seeing now. It’s a shame that this had to happen for people to come together. I think the resolve is fantastic and I think it really shows the good side of the people. And I’m glad we can focus on that right now because there’s a lot of crap we hear about all the time. To see something so bad strike so much love and interest, I’m sure he’s honoured.”

So, it matters? All the people lining the highway? The vigils, the flowers.

“Absolutely,” he says. “For everyone.”

smaher@postmedia.com