Helping in Haiti

LYONS BROOK - By the time you read this, county native MCpl. Cory Gregory will likely be on the ground in Haiti helping people deal with what is - quite likely - the worst time in their lives.
Gregory, 30, is a member of DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) that was dispatched from CFB Gagetown on Wednesday night to help Haiti deal with the effects of a 7.0 earthquake that rocked the Caribbean island nation on Tuesday.
The DART members from Gagetown were to meet up with fellow members of DART and leave from CFB Trenton, Ont., at 2 a.m. this morning.
Gregory, a plumber by trade, has been in the Canadian Forces for nine years, including a five-month tour of Afghanistan. He was awarded the CANSOFCOM Commander's Commendation for his outstanding levels of leadership, initiative and dedication well beyond that expected of his rank and seniority while in Afghanistan.
His parents, Linda and Gary Gregory of Lyons Brook, along with his brothers Coady and Chris, are understandably proud of Cory.
"We are all very proud of him and his fellow servicemen for all they do," Linda said. "We're always proud of him."
The Gregorys haven't had much contact with Cory since the earthquake, Linda said, other than a quick phone call to say he was being deployed to Haiti. She figures it will be a while before they talk to Cory again.
"We'll likely not hear from him."
She has spoken to Cory's wife, Tannis, who comes from a military family, too. Her dad is a navy man from Halifax and that's where the couple met.
"Her and the children are going to miss him. They're very proud of him," Linda said. "It's all part of military life."
Cory and Tannis have two young children, Kamren, 4, and Aaliyah, 18 months.
Linda said the family has been staying close to the TV as the story unfolds.
"We've been keeping a close eye on it since it's happened. It's a devastating thing."
Cory's interest in the armed forces stems from a strong family connection. His grandfather, Ken MacArthur of Meadowville, is a veteran of the Second World War, who did his service in tanks.
"Cory was always proud of his grandfather," she said.