Momma, I'm coming home

CAPTION: Theresa McGaughey-Gallant holds up a picture of the HMCS Summerside she was given Thursday afternoon in her Summerside home.

Coming Home

HMCS Summerside’s mother will be happy to see vessel

Ryan Quigley

Journal Pioneer

SUMMMERSIDE-The HMCS Summerside docks at the Summerside harbour Friday, and for the mother of the ship it’s a reunion that has been too long in the making.

Theresa McGaughey-Gallant has waited about four years since the last visit of the naval vessel and the 77-year old Summerside woman couldn’t be any happier.

“It’s just like one of my own coming home,” said Gallant.

The long time Summerside Legion member was chosen in 1998, due in part to volunteer work she was involved in like the Kidney foundation, to be the ship’s mother, something she says still feels surreal.

“You know, I’m from Searletown, I’m not a great big-shot,” she said. “I’m not a big shot in the world, I’m just Theresa.”

“A person has to be very honoured,” she added.

 Since then she has greeted the 55 metre long military vessel every time it comes in, feeling as if the crew are part of her family.

“They’re my children, all of them. Every year when they change I have a few more extra ones. I have quite a family,” she laughed.

The HMCS Summerside’s visit is a public relations visit for the Royal Canadian Navy. The visits, what they like to call a namesakes visit, are for the public to get to know their Navy and for those serving on the vessel to become familiar with the community the ship is named after.

The HMCS Moncton and Goosebay are also taking part in their own namesake visits and will be docking in Summerside harbour as a rendezvous point with the HMCS Summerside before going north to participate in a training exercise called Operation Nanook.

For Gallant, they are more then just a public relations visit.

She remembers a special moment from one of the visits.

“When they were leaving they lined their crew all up and before they left everyone gave me a big hug,” she said. “That meant a lot.”

This year is no different to Gallant, who plans on going to the ship to meet the crew.

“I have not met the (new) Captain, but I met all the other ones and they were all new to me,” she said. “I’m anxious to get down and see them.”

She has enjoyed each and every visit and can’t say she has a favourite crew.

“I can’t pick one out and leave the others, so I just use them all as my big family.”

As happy as she’ll be to see them come, like every other time Gallant knows she’ll be sad to see them go.

“There’s tears when you see them going,” she said. “It’s just like a family’s going away.”