For as long as Glen Harrison has lived with his wife in Horseshoe Bay, he’s loved sitting in his chair by the window and looking out at the bustling street and glimmering views of Howe Sound. Last Thursday, however, the day of Glen’s 97th birthday, he had a different view entirely.
Around a dozen friends and family lined the street of Royal Avenue, where Glen and his wife Karen have lived since 1976, to wish Glen a happy birthday. The Second World War veteran and retired medical doctor looked on from his deck at the smiling and cheering faces below.
“Everybody sang happy birthday to him, and he was waving,” said Karen.
Glen has lived with Alzheimer’s disease for the last seven years, so at times appeared unsure why his family wasn’t able to come inside to celebrate, according to Karen. But in other moments, he grasped completely the severity of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the need to adhere to strict physical distancing.
“He knew what was going on,” said Karen. “He was very pleased. He chuckled away and said, ‘Oh, isn’t this nice.’ He thought it was great.”
The surprise appearance from friends and family – which included neighbours, grandchildren, sons and daughters – commenced at 7 p.m. on April 9, at the same time that nightly eruptions of cheers of gratitude for front-line workers have been taking place for the last several weeks.
The West Vancouver fire department even drove by in a truck and members got out to celebrate Glen as well, according to Karen.
“They social distanced themselves all along Royal Avenue,” said Karen.
Lt. Glen Harrison joined the army at the age of 19, in 1942, delaying his medical education so he could serve his country.
Among his many contributions to the war effort, Glen was part of the 52nd Division’s mission to help secure South Beveland in what was known as the Battle of the Scheldt. The mission was successful, but Glen was injured in battle, eventually recovering. After the war, he received five medals for his duties.
“He always lives in the present. He hardly ever talks about the war,” says Karen.
His true passion was medicine, which he went on to practice for more than 50 years following the war. Amazingly, he didn’t retire until he was 90 years old.
“I think he absolutely loved the contact with young colleagues – doctors and nurses at the hospital,” says Karen.
Although Karen and Glen had to cancel their original plans to have a proper birthday party for Glen as the novel coronavirus crisis continued to place limits on what was acceptable social interaction, Karen says Thursday’s deck and street party was a success.
“I just think, in this day and age, we were being creative,” she says. “He was quite pleased about it all.”
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