A jogger who was struck and killed by a vehicle on Gabriola Island Wednesday was a firefighter and beloved member of the community there. His sudden death has sent shock and grief through the Gulf Island and has many wondering what led the truck to cross two lanes of the road before crashing into him. Skye Ryan has more.
Raymond Tremblay stopped to pay tribute at a growing roadside memorial on Gabriola Island on Friday.
“I feel deeply, deeply saddened by this,” said Tremblay. “This was a human story,” he said.
On Wednesday, at around 8:20 a.m., a man was struck by a vehicle on Berry Point Road near the Twin Beaches Mall. He was taken to hospital where he did of his injuries. The man had been jogging with two other runners before the collision.
The man who died was a member of the Gabriola Volunteer Fire Department and an involved member of the community. Tremblay knows a woman the victim was running with.
“He was running and there was a woman on this side of the road and he was on the other side and she saw the car coming,” said Tremblay.
The tire marks from the vehicle are still there. The impact of the man’s death has continued to spread out over this Gulf Island. Flags have been lowered to half-staff at his fire hall.
The victim’s family has asked that his name not be released yet but they said he was an active first responder and backer of community causes. He could always be counted on, friends said.
“He was a cabinet maker and I remember him coming to my house you know to build a door for me,” Tremblay said with a smile. “When something like that happens, we’re all affected by it and saddened,” he said.
It’s why Tremblay was getting back on his bike Friday, despite having close calls on the same roadside himself and knowing what happened to his friend.
“I wanted to go through the fear of knowing this has happened,” he said while jumping back on his bike.
RCMP continue to investigate and say they will be recommending charges against the driver involved.
Skye Ryan
