On Monday, 92-year-old Ted Adye will get his first vaccination for the novel coronavirus.
In the meantime, Adye is wearing a brand new KF94 mask. He was recently sent his second box of them, courtesy of the Korean Consulate in Vancouver. Despite the onboarding of vaccinations, masks are still recommended in close proximity with others as it is unknown who can still carry the virus. Thus, the masks will go to good use.
“I can’t thank them enough, the Consulate General in Vancouver and the Korean embassy in Ottawa, they’ve been most kind to us and we certainly thank them deeply,” Adye said.
The Fairfield resident has lived a block from Hollywood Park since 1972. The pandemic is just another line on a life well-lived. He could have died as a rifleman during the Korean War. He could have died during a six-month station in the -40 C weather of CFB Alert, also known as the North Pole, where his work at the time was “classified.”
READ ALSO: Korean government surprises Oak Bay veteran with gift of masks
The Korean Government’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has shipped masks to all countries who were members of the UN Allies fighting in the Korean War, with 30,000 directed through Vancouver. It is to show their everlasting gratitude to Korean War Veterans for their service, and to provide support to Canadians during the pandemic, said Siena Charron, Secretary to the Consul General in Vancouver.
At 22, Adye broke in as a private rifleman with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in the Korean War, 1950 to 1953. He then became a Royal Canadian Engineer and served in the army for 27 years, retiring as Chief Warrant Officer though he served another eight years as C Class after that.
Adye is the secretary for the local Korean Veterans Association, Unit 27. His first visit back to Korea was in 1985 and he couldn’t believe the progress the country had made since he fought in a war there.
“It was amazing what the country did, and how they treat us. They can’t do enough for us,” Adye said.
Oak Bay News
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