EDMONTON -- March 14, 2021 was a big day for an Edmonton family - the day Joseph Kiryluk turned 100 years old.
“He’s the glue,” said Ed Kiryluk, Joseph’s son. “He’s the family support and it’s always been, he’s been there for us and we thought we’d repay it and be there for him.”
But being there meant the family had to keep a safe distance from the birthday boy. Joseph lives at the Churchill Manor - the first retirement residence in Alberta dealing with a COVID-19 variant outbreak.
“COVID's hit a lot of families and we’ve been really lucky that he’s been actually very healthy through it,” said Ed.
Joseph joined the Second World War efforts in Poland when he was 18. He earned a bravery medal and his family said he was instrumental in breaking the Allies through enemy lines to get to Rome. Joseph also spent time as a prisoner in a Soviet Gulag.
“He’s one of four remaining combatants that actually took part in the war. We had, our membership used to be over 500 now it’s dwindling pretty quickly,” said Henry Lang, president of the Polish Combatants Association Branch No. 6 Edmonton.
Lang presented Joseph with an honorary membership into the Polish Combatants Association of Canada.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to be able to do this for him today,” he said.
(COURTESY: KIRYLUK FAMILY)
Joseph moved to Canada in 1946 and has been a member of the Royal Canadian Legion for the past 75 years.
“He’s a really proud Canadian,” said his son Ed.
But Ed said his dad is most proud of his family, two sons, four grandchildren and four great-grandkids.
Six-year-old Sullivan Kiryluk learned how to sing happy birthday in Polish for the party.
“Sto lat means a hundred so we’re not sure what we’re going to sing for him next year ‘cause he’s already at a hundred,” joked daughter-in-law Theresa Kiryluk.
“We try to celebrate everything, but dad, that’s always been really important,” Ed said.
The birthday party was kept short, and staff from Churchill Manor watched to make sure health restrictions were followed.
“We’ll have a real celebration when COVID is done,” Ed said to his dad before leaving.
