‘A LOT OF DARK MOMENTS’
Families and friends look for ‘something to cling to’ as funerals held for those killed in Broncos bus crash
Family and friends gathered Friday in communities across Saskatchewan for the funerals of three people who died in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.
A celebration of life for forward Jacob Leicht, 19, took place Friday morning in Humboldt at the Elgar Petersen Arena, where the Broncos play their home games.
A mass was set Friday for defenceman Adam Herold, the youngest member of the Broncos at 16 years old, at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Montmartre.
A memorial service was also held for bus driver Glen Doerksen, 59, on Friday afternoon at the Carrot River Community Hall.
The collision between the Broncos bus and a semi-trailer occurred April 6, around 5 p.m. on Highway 35, about 30 kilometres north of Tisdale, as the Broncos travelled to Nipawin from Humboldt for their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) semifinal series.
There were 29 people on the bus; 16 have died and 13 were injured. The driver of the truck was not injured.
Dozens of interviews have been conducted and vehicle computer data is being analyzed as RCMP continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the bus crash, police said earlier this week.
RCMP “continue to dedicate significant resources to ensure a thorough investigation. Investigations such as this can take significant time; however, we have dedicated the necessary resources to ensure this investigation can be done as expediently as possible,” police said in a statement.
A service was held Thursday in Humboldt for play-by-play broadcaster Tyler Bieber, the first of 16 victims in the bus crash to be laid to rest. Other services have been held or are being held in home communities across Saskatchewan and Alberta.
‘BEAUTIFUL SEND-OFF’
Chants of “Go Broncos Go” rang through the rafters during the service for Leicht, after his mother asked mourners to cheer for him one last time at his home rink.
Celeste Leicht asked the 2,500 people who filled Elgar Petersen Arena in Humboldt, Sask., to chant 11 times, followed by 11 seconds of horns and noisemakers, to honour her son’s jersey number.
“I think it will be a beautiful sendoff to my beautiful boy,” she said.
Celeste Leicht thanked the community and the rest of Canada for the kindness and support the family has received.
“I do know we are going to have a lot of dark moments. I know we have a long, hard road ahead of us and for that reason we need something to cling to,” she said. “You’re here to provide your respects to truly honour our son. I ask you to commit yourself to making connections and building relationships.”
There was applause several times during the service, including for three surviving Broncos, one of them in a wheelchair, who were able to attend.
Among those in attendance for Leicht’s service was Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews.
Toews, along with Winnipeg Jets executive chairman Mark Chipman, delivered to Broncos team representatives game-worn jerseys from the April 7 contest between the Blackhawks and Jets, in which the players’ nameplates were replaced by “Broncos.”
‘HE WAS OUR LEADER’
The youngest victim of last week’s bus crash was remembered Friday as a humble farm kid, gifted athlete and natural leader.
Hockey jerseys were draped over Adam Herold’s coffin and some youths at his funeral mass wore jerseys with his name and team number 10 on the back.
Adam would have turned 17 on Thursday.
Hockey gloves, a snowmobiling helmet, a hunting cap and a toy tractor were among the items placed by the altar at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in his hometown of Montmartre, Sask.
Darrin McKechnie, who coached Adam with the Regina Pat Canadians Midget AAA team, said he was the obvious choice for captain even though there were boys older than him on the team.
“He oozed leadership. The boys respected him. He respected everybody around him. He was our leader,” McKechnie said.
McKechnie recounted how his teenage daughter and Adam tried — and failed — to keep their blossoming romance under wraps.
“Adam was the type of boy you would want your son to be like and your daughter to bring home,” said McKechnie, choking back tears. “I can honestly say from experience that’s the truth.”
Mike Dumelie, who coached Adam on the Prairie Storm Bantam team, read a statement on behalf of Adam’s parents, Russell and Raelene, and sister Erin.
“He truly was a small-town farm kid at heart, always content with simple things. He loved the outdoors and being active,” they said.
CARROT RIVER GATHERING
Hundreds gathered in a small northeastern Saskatchewan town Friday to pay their respects to the Humboldt Broncos bus driver who died.
It was standing room only at the funeral for Glen Doerksen, 59, in Carrot River’s community hall.
The line to get into the community hall stretched around the building and the doors had to be held open to accommodate everyone.
A man placed two trade union flags with pictures of buses at the entrance of the parking lot.
Among the attendees were two RCMP officers wearing their red serge and a group of men wearing hockey jerseys.
Reporters were asked not to attend the service.
Doerksen was described by his employer, Charlie’s Charters, as an “outstanding friend, husband, and father,” in a recent Facebook post.
Services for other victims will continue to be held over the weekend and into next week.