Soon, the families of those lost in the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash in Saskatchewan will quietly mark the two year anniversary.
As the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting life across the globe, they hoped to be able to attend a small ceremony in memory of the 16 people who died on April 6, 2018.
However, due to restrictions, they’ll be staying home and grieving instead of gathering.
“It’s going to be a lonely day,” said Toby Boulet, whose son, Logan, was killed. “Not as many hugs. We can’t get together as a family.”
Scott Thomas said he’s only starting to accept that his son, Evan, won’t be coming home.
“It’s just a huge hole. We’re just staring into the abyss still every day,” he said in an interview from Saskatoon. “It’s the first thing I think of when I get up and the last thing I think of when I go to bed.
In addition to the 16 people who died in the crash, 13 others were left seriously injured.
Kevin Matechuk’s son, Layne, suffered a brain injury. His recovery since he woke up from a coma has slowed, and a new physiotherapy he was supposed to start is on hold because of COVID-19.
Matechuk said his son seems to be losing interest in hockey – a sport he once loved – after experiencing difficulty moving his right side.
“His skating improved a little bit, but he drags his right side,” he said. “He’s starting to realize that it’s not going to be like it used to be.”
The family has been to the crash site many times, and planned to visit again on the anniversary before the current health crisis changed things.
In Humboldt, the anniversary memorial and tribute Monday will also be held online.
Humboldt Mayor Rob Muench said the city had hoped to display some of the thousands of gifts it received from around the world, but pandemic restrictions again changed those plans.
However, at 4:50 pm, the approximate time the crash occurred, church bells will toll and a moment of silence will follow to mark the anniversary and allow people to grieve from home, connected.
“Even (with) the situation that’s taking place in the world right now, it’s important that we do not let this fall through the cracks,” Muench said.
-With files from The Canadian Press
