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An Okanagan trucking company is mourning the loss of one of their own after a head-on collision near Monte Lake earlier this week.
Reimer Bros Trucking Ltd says Mike Beernaerts was the driver killed in the collision between two commercial vehicles on Hwy 97 Monday night.
Beernaerts had only been with Reimer Bros Trucking for five months, but the company called his impact “profound and lasting.”
“Mike's infectious smile and laughter brightened our days. Not only was he an exceptional trucker, but he was also a remarkable human being,” the post went on to say.
“Everyone at Reimer Bros can attest to the fact that Mike's presence will be deeply missed. In losing him, we have lost not just a great driver, but a great man.”
A post on the Skilled Truckers Canada Facebook page also commemorated Beernaerts, calling him funny, compassionate, caring, loyal, knowledgeable and so much more.
It also said he was “one hell of a driver” who knew his way around a truck and Canada’s highways.
“A true veteran of the art,” it said, adding that Beernaerts was “old school as they come.”
The thoughts of both Reimer Bros Trucking and Skilled Truckers Canada were echoed in the comment section by several people who knew Beernaerts.
Monday night’s crash, which closed Hwy 97 near Monte Lake overnight, remains under investigation.