What Happened
Calgary Flames forward Jake Middleton is reflecting on a poignant childhood memory tied to Remembrance Day, according to a Sportsnet feature. When Middleton was seven, his grandfather, Robert Bruce, was buried near the military base in Wainwright, Alta. During the funeral, a poppy fell from his father Steve's chest into the grave. In a spontaneous tribute, family and friends removed their own poppies and tossed them into the grave. More than two decades later, Middleton still remembers the moment, and every Nov. 11, when trumpets sound, the memory returns.
Key Details
- Jake Middleton plays forward for the Calgary Flames.
- Middleton was seven years old at his grandfather's funeral.
- His grandfather, Robert Bruce, was buried near the military base in Wainwright, Alta.
- A poppy fell from his father Steve's chest into the grave.
- Attendees removed their poppies and threw them into the grave as a tribute.
- Middleton recalls the memory more than two decades later.
- The memory resurfaces each Nov. 11 when trumpets sound.
- The feature was published by Sportsnet on Nov. 10, 2026.