'Bright light': Friends and family remember Edmonton soldier killed at CFB Wainwright

The family of Edmonton soldier Sgt. Morgan Wong, one of four Canadian Armed Forces members killed during a training exercise at CFB Wainwright over the weekend, said he was ‘extremely proud’ to serve his country.

“We loved Morgan very much and we are extremely proud of him. He was an incredible person who was always there whenever anyone needed him. He loved being active and spending time with his friends and family. He was extremely proud to serve with the Canadian Armed Forces,” his family said in an emailed statement to Postmedia on Monday.

“We are grateful for the support that the public has shown for the military community after what happened at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright on Oct. 17. Our thoughts are with the families of the other soldiers who were killed, and with those who were injured.”

Wong, along with Pte. Aiden Goulding, Pte. Shaun Farrell and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark were killed during an outdoor exercise on a section attack range when a fire swept into the area that also seriously injured 39 other soldiers.

All four were stationed in Edmonton. While Wong lived in Edmonton, Goulding hailed from Victoria, B.C., while Farrell was from Prince Albert, SK, and Lykkemark was from Langley, B.C.

Wong, 26, who graduated from the University of Alberta in 2022 with a bachelor of commerce degree and held real-estate and civil-military leadership certificates, joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, after graduating from Harry Ainlay High School in 2017.

In 2022, Wong also started volunteering with St. John Ambulance as a medical first responder, while also working as a financial analyst and manager with the Government of Alberta.

While with the CAF, Wong served on Operation Reassurance in Latvia for nine months in 2025. Wong, who was recently promoted to sergeant, was training in Wainwright to prepare for his second European tour.

“I got to know Morgan through one of his best sides, and that was his side he gave back to the community. He always stepped up and he was kind of a shy unassuming guy, but he made such a difference for anyone in the community,” said Rhyneice Cook, community services co-ordinator for St. John Ambulance.

“His wealth of knowledge and experience that he had, he was always willing to share and mentor our volunteer team and take care of our patients.”

Cook said her medical first responder team has quite a few active CAF members, and when she heard the news on Saturday about the devastating fire, her mind immediately went to Morgan and the other CAF members who are part of her team, and hoping they were OK.

“One of my volunteers messaged me late, probably around 8 p.m. and she’s like, ‘This isn’t our Morgan, it is?’ and I was like what do you mean our Morgan?,” recalled Cook.

“I started digging into it, and I opened Facebook, and his name was there, and his picture was there, and I was like this actually can’t be happening. I kind of thought it was a dream — a nightmare. It’s just devastating.”

Cook said she last worked with Wong at an event in Edmonton, and he told her how excited he was to go to Wainwright and get more training. He was so proud that he was recently promoted to sergeant, and excited to play a leadership role.

She said Wong never talked much about his career in the military, but she saw it come through in his work with St. John Ambulance. He often taught different methods and techniques that he learned through his military training to other volunteers.

Cook said Wong loved to test his first responder skills within the community, and he always showed that he was more than capable of taking care of patients and taking care of team members.

“Our members get nothing back except for maybe a high-five, here and there, and maybe some smiles from kids. They do this because they truly want to help, and Morgan definitely embodied that real desire to make a difference,” said Cook.

“Watching him with other volunteers and mentoring them and teaching them all about patient care — he was extraordinary. He gave everything he had to make the world a better place. He was such a bright light, and it’s so sad that light has been extinguished.”

Nadine Dunford described Pte. Hayden Lykkemark as a young man with a kind smile. She got to know him when he began dating her daughter. She ended up taking him in as a foster child just before he turned 15.

“Hayden was my foster son, but I loved him as a son, and gave him everything I could,” said Dunford, in a statement to Postmedia on Monday afternoon.

“We helped him through his high school years, making sure he graduated and helped him get his first job. Hayden was loved by so many. He was such a good person.”

Dunford said he volunteered at the local Boys and Girls Club in Langley, B.C., and he had a love for sports, especially football, soccer and basketball. His dream was to one day become a police officer.

“He loved his country. He loved his brothers. He was turning into a fabulous adult. This tragedy took him too soon,” said Dunford.

On Sunday, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe sent an emailed statement to Postmedia on the passing the four soldiers, most notably Pte. Shaun Farrell, who hailed from Prince Albert, Sask.

“Today, Saskatchewan mourns the loss of Private Shaun Farrell of Prince Albert. Shaun was a young man full of promise who chose to serve his country. His loss will be felt deeply by his family, friends, fellow service members, and all who knew him,” said Moe in a statement.

“As we remember Shaun and the other service members who lost their lives, we also keep those injured and their loved ones in our thoughts.”

In a Facebook post after the announcement of the soldiers’ names, Kim Goulding posted a tribute to Aidan Goulding.

“You were so bright, kind, and so excited, and so, so proud to serve in the CAF,” she wrote. “You had just graduated in August and had your whole life ahead of you — way too young.”

– With files from Postmedia