Corporal Andrew James Eykelenboom

Born: November 3, 1982 at the Misericordia Community Hospital in Edmonton Alberta. Where he later volunteered and completed some of his medical work experience.  He was the youngest of three boys, Steven was older by 7 yrs and 4 months and Gordon by 4 yrs and 6 months.  Andrew, as the youngest was protected and also picked upon, but he soon learnt to stand up for himself. As he grew into a young man, his relationships with his brothers became closer and they would have fun doing their crazy outdoors pursuits.

Andrew grew up on an acreage 20 km southwest of Edmonton. The boys had a lot of adventures, they had a huge sand pile and there he spent many hours, building roads, mud pies and playing with their brothers & friends.  If not in the sand pile, he could be found building tree forts, hiding in a tree or taking some quiet time in the loft of the barn. He was the type of kid who licked the frost off the metal around the window of the school bus just to see what would happen and then left a portion of his tongue behind.  In Kindergarten he pulled the fire alarm at school – just because it was there, when older he decorated friends homes at Halloween with streamers of toilet paper, “mooned” passing vehicles, stood up for and protected his buddies; Which at one time caused him to be hospitalized when he was 16. He was an avid sports enthusiast playing baseball, soccer, was in swimming, gymnastics, basketball, archery and rugby; he loved mountain biking and was skiing Black Diamond runs by the time he was 8. He belonged to a church youth group, loved to go camping and fishing with his family, and thoroughly enjoyed the part of many summers that he attended a Christian Wilderness Camp in Nordegg, Alberta where rock climbing and other adventure sports were daily activities.

He attended Graminia Community School from Kindergarten ‘till Grad 7, went to St. Marguerite in Spruce Grove for Grade 8 and then back to Graminia for Grade 9. He went to the Spruce Grove Composite High and then Highland Secondary in Comox for the last two years of high school, where he graduated in 2001.

He never wanted the limelight, always preferred to help behind the scene. Andrew would show compassion to anyone who had any form of disability. Like the time in the grocery store when Andrew (15 yrs) had gone off to pick up the things that he liked in his school lunches, but instead his Mom found him kneeling beside a gentleman with physical and mental challenges, in a wheelchair, helping him get the things that were on his list. Or when he gave his brand new toque and gloves to the homeless person he saw looking in the dumpsters one cold morning. He would stop and talk with the elderly in the hospital because he truly wanted to hear what they had to say. He had the ability to see a person for who they really were - inside - and he cared and valued people.

In August of 1999, his Mom and Dad decided to retire and move to Comox. A significant part of this decision was that Andrew would be able to move with them, make roots on the Island and hopefully want to live there as an adult. His older two brothers were in secondary education in Alberta and heading towards their careers. For all of his life Andrew had been bussed to school and the one thing that he wanted was to be able to walk instead.  So with a lot of Andrew’s help and input, they built a house within walking distance of Highland Secondary in Comox.

Moving day came, when they left their acreage he was 16 and really wanted to drive. So off they went, his Dad was leading the way, driving the truck camper and towing the Jeep and his Mom beside him in their car.  At first he was going to drive just to Edson, then Jasper, then Kamloops, then to Vancouver, but not through the city – well, he drove the entire way, his Mom totally relaxed beside him. Her youngest son was turning into a man. 

Once on the island, he joined a rugby team, started competitive kick-boxing and had a lot of fun fishing with his Dad, snow boarding, surfing, hiking, running, camping, hanging out with friends, lots of bonfires on the beach and playing pool at home. He loved the outdoors and all that Vancouver Island had to offer. Savoured its’ beauty and helped his family and friends appreciate what they had.

After getting involved in a firefighting training through the Comox Fire Hall in the summer of 2000, Andrew decided that he wanted to be a firefighter, then the following year he did a work practicum at 19 Wing Comox, with the military firefighters. At the end of Grade 12, June 2001, he announced that he was going to join the military. His first choice was as a fire fighter, but since he scored highly in his aptitude testing in the medical areas he was asked if he would sign up as a medic. That fit in his plan to someday be a fire fighter/paramedic in the Comox Valley, so he said yes. On October 1, 2001 Andrew went to Gagetown, New Brunswick for Basic Training. His Mom had actually tried to talk him out of joining the military after 9/11, but he was determined, he said to her “Mom, I am needed even more now”

When asked to commit to another three years, he did so only after the military agreed to send him for more training and to Afghanistan. He was determined to help to make a difference and do what he had been trained to do. He was the youngest and the only Private when he was on his QL 5 course and took lots of ribbing over it but it never bothered him, according to his friends he studied hard, played hard and laughed lots. Everyone was his friend and the stories they tell today make your cheeks sore and you’re stomach ache from the shared laughs.

Andrew, was comfortable in “his own skin”. He liked who he was, he didn’t have to try to be someone else, even though he was well aware that he could not do everything, he was who he was. He had a confidence about himself that amazed one of his Sergeant’s. His CO’s commented that this goofy kid with the huge smile, would come through with excellent medical treatment of those he cared for, knew his stuff and grew into an amazing man through his service to our country.  His cup was always more than half full even during the toughest times in Afghanistan.

In February 2006, he left for Afghanistan for a seven month tour. August 11, 2006 he was killed by a suicide bomber, on the return to camp that day, on his last mission. Sgt. Mark Simon’s didn’t want to send him back out, Boomer had only just returned from a long stint with the Patricia’s, they had brought him back to KAF on Aug 9th, believing that they were all done, packing to go home, his kit was handed in.  That day however they were short of medics and Andrew volunteered, so gratefully, Mark assigned him. Promising Boomer that it would be the last one he would have to do, he had already done far more than his share. According to Mark, the smile on Boomer’s face beat all of the previous smiles that Mark had seen, he said that he will always remember that one, Boomer was going to get some well deserved rest after this last mission.  He went to save lives and he did, then his was taken by a suicide bomber.  Never once did Mark think that his words were prophetic.

Corporal Andrew James Eykelenboom “Boomer”, left this world a better place, he touched people’s lives and hearts with his strong Christian faith, his determination and his kindness, he lived life fully - leaving us an example of who we need to be, to strive for.

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