‘He couldn’t stand to see her happy’

importantly, her three boys, who loved their mother more than anything in the world,” said Portingale.

“Jennifer was taken from us, and her boys, during a time of hope for her.”

Portingale said that Jennifer Quesnel had new dreams and aspirations and felt positive about the days ahead.

“She was starting a new life for herself and everyone was happy for her,” said Portingale. “She had a lot of hopes of how her future would look now.”

Kisae Petersen, executive director of Islanders Working Against Violence on Salt Spring Island, said on Monday that intimate-partner violence is a daily reality.

Islanders Working Against Violence has continued to provide anti-violence services, transition housing and crisis-line support for women and families during the pandemic, said Petersen.

“There is intimate-partner violence on Salt Spring and with COVID there is this growing intensity of violence and increased vulnerability for women in abusive households,” said Petersen.

John Jr. doesn’t believe stresses that accompanied the pandemic added in any way to his father’s state.

“She was leaving him — that’s what it comes down to. He couldn’t handle it,” said John. Jr.

Fraser added: “He didn’t want to see her move on without him.”

Jennifer Quesnel’s family said their only solace is that in recent weeks, they once again saw their sister, daughter and mother happy and rediscovering “what life could be like.”