Slain war journalist remembered in Vancouver

Friends and family of Vancouver-born journalist Michelle Lang, who was killed along with four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, remembered her Monday at a ceremony in Vancouver.

The Calgary Herald reporter, 34, was the first Canadian journalist killed while covering the mission in Afghanistan.

"I am extremely proud of ... Michelle," her brother Cameron told the gathering at the Italian Cultural Centre.

"My sister always took the time to help others. She cared deeply about those around her. She was very stubborn, adventurous, ambitious, curious, persistent. It was all these characteristics that led my sister to Afghanistan."

Lang had been in the country for only 20 days when an armoured vehicle also carrying four Canadian soldiers struck an improvised explosive device south of the city of Kandahar on Dec. 30.

Also killed in the blast were Sgt. George Miok, 28, of Edmonton; Cpl. Zachery McCormack, 21, of Edmonton; Pte. Garrett Chidley, 21, of Langley, B.C.; and Sgt. Kirk Taylor, 28, of Yarmouth, N.S.

Taylor's friends and family also gathered in Yarmouth on Monday for his funeral. Services for Chidley are to be held in the Vancouver area Tuesday, while services for McCormack and Miok were held Saturday.

Lang was born and raised in Vancouver, where her immediate family members still live. She had been planning to be married this summer in Calgary.

A public memorial service will be held in Calgary for Lang at First Alliance Church, 12345 40th St. S.E.,  at 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 18.