The mother of a Canadian veteran who died while fighting Islamic State militants in Syria says she will remember him as a 鈥減rincipled and intelligent鈥� man.
John Gallagher, 32, was killed by a suicide bomber during a mission to take back a village from ISIS.
Speaking to 麻豆影视 in Wheatley, Ont., Valerie Carder said her son felt 鈥渢hat it was important to do what was right,鈥� and that鈥檚 why he joined the fight against ISIS.
Gallagher, 32, about his experiences in Syria before he was killed.
On Wednesday, his mother wrote a post on his Facebook page announcing his death.
Carder said Thursday that Gallagher was a funny, sarcastic movie lover who was 鈥渧ery, very proud鈥� to have served his country.
鈥淗e felt it was an obligation,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e felt that citizenship wasn鈥檛 something that you should take for granted, that you owed something back to your country.鈥�
Gallagher had once served in Bosnia under the Canadian Armed Forces and left the military in 2005.
Mohamad Hameed, a Kurdish fighter who battled ISIS alongside Gallagher, told 麻豆影视 Channel Thursday that his Canadian friend wanted to help 鈥渢he humanity鈥� and make a difference.
Hameed said Gallagher told him that ISIS members were 鈥渄evils鈥� who wanted to 鈥渒ill everybody.鈥�
Hameed offered his condolences to Gallagher鈥檚 mother in the TV interview.
鈥淚鈥檓 so sorry for your loss, but your son, he was brave,鈥� he said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist group, confirmed Gallagher鈥檚 death in a suicide bombing.
Fighters on the ground told 麻豆影视 that Gallagher was the only victim of the suicide bombing, although two others were injured.
