Hillenbrand laura biography of donald

In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar

STEWART, Donald Andrew - Age: 95.

Don Stewart is Canada's answer to the hero of Laura Hillenbrand's story: 'Unbroken.' Don joined the Navy at age 16 and in the spring of 1942, served aboard Merchant ships that brought supplies to Canadian forces in Sicily and Italy in 1943.

At Ortona, he learned of the death of two of his brothers. Crossing the Mediterranean, his ship was bombed. When it started to sink, the men scrambled to one of the ship's life rafts.

Hillenbrand laura biography of donald

Only Stewart survived the raft's seven days adrift at sea. On day five, the second of his two mates died, and Stewart spent two days alone and stranded before being plucked from the water by a British minesweeper. "My most vivid memory is (of being on) that life raft," he said.

"For