Trainer known for love of sports
Brons dies from injuries sustained in crash, surrounded by loved ones
Five days after the Humboldt Broncos’ bus crashed on a Saskatchewan highway, those who knew the team’s trainer Dayna Brons received the news Wednesday no one wanted to hear.
The 24-year-old Lake Lenore native, known for her big smile and love of sports, had died in hospital.
According to a statement released by her family Wednesday, “Dayna passed away peacefully this afternoon as a result of her injuries. She was surrounded by those she loved and those who loved her.”
A family member previously said Brons suffered serious head trauma and underwent two surgeries. She had been on a breathing apparatus and was in an induced coma.
“Dayna will be forever remembered for her joyful smile, and her passion and love of sport,” the family’s statement read, adding she was “extremely proud to be part of the Broncos family.”
Growing up in Lake Lenore, not far from Humboldt, Brons told Discover Humboldt in a 2016 interview she watched the Broncos when not playing something herself.
“I grew up playing different sports, I really loved to play the game and I just loved being active so it was suggested to me to be an athletic therapist,” she said.
Brons had formed a part of several other sports-related families since convocating from the University of Regina’s kinesiology program in the fall of 2016.
Harold Riemer, the dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, said those at the school have been struggling since learning of the crash. Besides Brons, he knew a couple others on the bus, making the tragedy hit even harder.
“I know it’s really impacted some of the athletic therapists here and certainly students in that major,” he said, voice breaking with emotion. “Some of them would have known or met (Brons) at some point. Certainly, our staff did and field work supervisors and so on.”
Brad Kraft with S.W.A.T. Lacrosse Club in Saskatoon, where Brons worked as a trainer with several of the teams, said she’d been there the past couple of seasons and was set to return.
“Definitely, she was one of the team,” he said. “She was one of the members ... She was always just such a pleasure and so happy and smiling the whole time whenever she was at the rink, and you could tell she truly loved what she did.”
David Legg — chair of the Department of Health and Physical Education at Calgary’s Mount Royal University where Brons completed her advanced certificate in athletic therapy, also in 2016 — said Brons was “known by students, friends, classmates and faculty for her inspired mind, positive attitude, love for sport and big dreams.”
“I cannot imagine the pain her parents and friends are experiencing in having those dreams cut short,” he said.
The mayor of Lake Lenore, Travis Thompson, was in tears Wednesday as he said he was unable to comment at this time.
Those who knew Brons and others on the bus are looking for ways to cope, Kraft saying those with S.W.A.T. are “taking it one day at a time.”
They are planning to honour Brons and the others with a memorial and a moment of silence this weekend as they host the Regina Barracuda lacrosse team.
“It’s very close to home for anybody who’s in sports,” he said.
“I mean, myself, I coach, my kids play both lacrosse and hockey, I’ve played hockey my whole life.”
Kraft said the organization is discussing bringing in counsellors for its players, who typically grow close to their trainers.