The regimental funeral for fallen New Brunswick police officers Constable Robb Costello and Constable Sara Burns took place earlier this month (Sat., Aug. 18) in Fredericton.
As the aftershock of the tragic incident that claimed Burns and Costello’s lives continues to reverberate throughout the nation, fellow Constable Stefan DeCourcey – Burns’ friend, co-worker, and Standardbred owner/horseman – has had an opportunity to reflect on the senseless tragedy and the new reality left from the incident’s wake.
Constables Sara Burns and Robb Costello
Together, Burns and DeCourcey owned Grimsby, a grey, ten-year-old son of Admirals Galley who was subsequently retired this past weekend at Exhibition Park Raceway.
As an article by Bill Hunt for The Daily Gleaner explains, it was Sara’s husband, Steve, that asked DeCourcey if he could lead Grimsby in the regimental funeral.
Hunt’s article delves into how Grimsby was readied for the event, which clearly held more magnitude than any of his 133 career on-track assignments.
Grimsby, pictured in Fredericton, NB on Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018 during the regimental funeral for Constables Sara Burns and Robb Costello (Image courtesy The Canadian Press / Darren Calabrese)
"Really, when it came down to it, I think the horse knew what it had to do that day," DeCourcey has said. "I couldn't ask any more from him. It was more of an honour to walk that horse. I'm proud of it. It's one of the highlights of being a police officer at the lowest point of my professional career. I'm proud that I could do it for the Burns family and for the Fredericton Police Force."
To read the article – which also discusses the emotions surrounding Grimsby’s retirement race – click here.
(With files from The Daily Gleaner)