On Remembrance Day, we commemorate the courage of Holocaust survivors and the dedicated nurses who tended to soldiers and others in their darkest hours. This November 11, and every day, we honour their sacrifices and compassion, recognizing that their acts of service and survival, often unseen, helped rebuild lives and restore hope in the aftermath of unimaginable horrors. Their strength and dedication are vital threads in the fabric of the freedoms we hold dear.
Today, three Canadian seniors share their experiences and memories to remind us why we must never forget.
Aileen Frydrych’s life story captures the incredible strength required to survive horrific circumstances. Born Chaya Rabinowich in Krivich, Poland, her childhood ended abruptly with the outbreak of World War II. At just 11 years old, the Nazi invasion uprooted her life, separating her family and leading to the loss of her sister. Forced to hide and later flee into the forests, Aileen and her mother spent two years surviving on scraps, always on the brink.
“One of the farmers helped us in the forest to make, you know, it was like a cave under a tree using branches to keep it up. My mother and I lived there for two years.” The constant fear of death was overwhelming, yet Aileen’s will to survive remained steadfast.
Liberation came in 1944, but the post-war world brought its own challenges. Returning to their hometown to find their home destroyed, Aileen and her mother had to start over with nothing. In 1947, they immigrated to Canada, where Aileen began to rebuild her life. She met Henry, a fellow Holocaust survivor, and together they worked tirelessly, raising a family and creating a life filled with love and stability. Today Aileen lives happily in Kensington Place retirement community in Toronto and reflects on her incredible journey with pride.
Paula Goldhar’s journey of survival is a powerful reflection of hope and resilience amidst unthinkable suffering. The youngest of eight children, Paula was just 14 when World War II began, turning her life in Lodz, Poland, upside down. When the Nazis invaded, Paula’s family was forced into the ghetto. Tragically, her younger brother was the first casualty, disappearing while exploring beyond the ghetto’s walls. As the war worsened, Paula’s father made the heartbreaking decision to send his children away, urging them to survive.
In 1942, Paula was sent to a forced labour camp in Skarżysko-Kamienna, where she endured gruelling 12-hour shifts in munitions factories. Life in the camp was harsh, with overcrowded barracks and little food, but Paula found strength by bonding with her sister and brother, who helped her endure. “That’s the way I survived,” Paula recalled, reflecting on how those relationships provided a sliver of hope in the darkness.
She finally got her freedom in January 1945, but not before one last terrifying ordeal when Paula and her fellow prisoners were locked in a warehouse filled with ammunition as bombs fell nearby. When the German guards fled, Paula and the others realized they were free. After the war, Paula emigrated to Canada in 1949, where she built a new life. Though she lost both parents, three brothers, and two sisters, Paula’s strength carried her forward in life and she, with husband Yitzchak by her side, forged a good life in Canada. Today she lives in Kensington Place retirement home in Toronto.
Mary Milner’s life exemplifies the resilience and dedication of wartime nurses. Born in England, her career began at just 13 when her school was bombed and she started working in a hospital during World War II. Surrounded by soldiers returning from D-Day, Mary matured quickly, tending to men wounded in battle. At 17, she joined the Royal Naval Voluntary Aid Detachment, nursing prisoners of war and soldiers suffering from tuberculosis. “The prisoners of war were just coming back from Japan. And they were in a terrible condition. They were just skeletons,” she said. Her tireless compassion helped save lives, often at the risk of her own health.
Mary’s service took her to Malta, where she met her future husband, William, during long shifts in surgical wards. Their love blossomed amidst the chaos, culminating in a simple wedding, hastily arranged as William was called away for duty.
After the war, Mary and William moved to Canada, where she continued her nursing career. Whether working in pediatric hospitals or setting up care homes, Mary’s devotion never wavered. Her resilience extended beyond the war — she battled lymphoma for over 30 years, confounding doctors by becoming and staying cancer free for decades after her diagnosis. She now lives happily at Island Park retirement living in Campbellford.
We hold deep gratitude for the resilience of Holocaust survivors and the compassion of nurses this Remembrance Day. We honour their legacy with reverence, ensuring their courage and humanity are never forgotten.