Dawe’s family is not speaking to the media, but they released a statement explaining that they don’t want his rank as Captain — making him one of the highest-ranking Canadian officers killed in Afghanistan — to take anything away from the loss of the others. "Matt was a superb soldier. He was very fit and prided himself on leading from the front," the statement reads. "He loved his soldiers very much and we know that this feeling was reciprocal." Dawe came from a long line of military service and leaves behind a two-year-old son, Lucas, and his wife, Tara. Three of his older brothers have enlisted in Canada’s forces — two have already served in Afghanistan — while his father is a retired lieutenant-colonel living in Kingston, Ontario. "This is a marvelous family, a model Canadian family, that has given so much of their time and talent to Canada," said Col. Jon Vance, commander of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. "I’m personally hurt that we’ve lost Matthew. He’s a great soldier."