Soldier was ‘a real Kitchener guy’
Robert Dynerowicz remembered by friends and family
KITCHENER — Robert Dynerowicz loved to unleash a big, toothy grin.
“Huge smile,” said Greg Bignell, his uncle.
“From when he was a baby, all the way up, he had just the biggest smile.”
During his 34 years, that trademark grin often stretched happily on the Kitchener-raised soldier who died Tuesday after a single-vehicle crash during a military training exercise in Alberta.
“The first thing you would notice about Bobby was his smile.”
His family — parents Danny and Debbie, sister Jenny — always called him Bobby. His pals around town, his comrades with the Royal Canadian Dragoons, called him Dino. Sgt. Dynerowicz was also known for his big heart and big hugs,
friends say.
“Bobby was fearless when it came to helping others,” Bignell said.
“This was proven in his line of work. He loved his unit. He talked about them a lot. He would do anything for them.”
Dynerowicz spent a dozen years in the military, including two tours in Afghanistan. He was a humble hero, the family says, always willing to lend a hand without worrying about reward. That’s why he chose a military life.
He was a true Canadian, they said. He always deflected praise like he was deflecting a slap shot during a street hockey game while growing up a few blocks past the expressway from the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.
“He loved hockey,” Bignell said. “He was a real Kitchener guy.”
The son of a city worker went to Rockway Mennonite and Grand River for high school. He even skated in green and gold for the storied Kitchener Bauer Krauts in his atom league days. And, along the way, his signature allegiance to the Montreal Canadiens’ bleu,
blanc et rouge grew as vibrant as his smile and as obvious as his pride in his Polish ancestry.
“He loved his Habs,” Bignell said.
“That was him. He loved his Patrick Roy. And Carey Price. And P.K. Subban.”
Dynerowicz, who had been based in Petawawa, cherished his time spent with his family over the years. He was as comfortable landing a big one on fishing trips as he was blowing out candles and devouring birthday cake with his little nephew Carson. They were all occasions to spin his tales of military service and give history lessons on his beloved Dragoons.
“He was an unbelievable son, brother, grandson, nephew, uncle and cousin,” Bignell added. “We’ll miss his kindness.”
On Thursday, his family and girlfriend Moronike weren’t focusing on the military investigation into the crash that killed Dynerowicz and injured three others.
“Not right now. It’s time to come together and help his mom and dad and everybody, his sister, get through it. Just try to be there for them.”
The news of his tragic death was devastating to his family. His body was expected to return home to Kitchener on Friday. Funeral plans were not set by Thursday afternoon.
“You’re never prepared for these things,” Bignell said.
“Even in that line of work, you still don’t expect to hear it. You don’t want to hear it.”