Victim killed on Regional Road 174 remembered as ‘funny, adorable’
The worker killed when struck by an SUV on the median of Regional Road 174 Thursday is being remembered by friends as a friendly, funny, hard-working man whose dream was the landscaping business he ran in Rockland.
Al Blake was working on the grassy median when an SUV veered off the east-end highway near Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard.
“Al, we were a really good team,” his friend and business partner wrote on Facebook.
“I will continue running our business to see it become as successful as we dream it will be. I love you, and sleep well.”
Paula Deek has known Blake for some 20 years, since he worked for Ottawa Metro Towing.
He taught her how to take care of her car years ago, and now she has posted a tribute to him on Facebook.
“All the words that describe a kind, funny, adorable and sweet man would be accurate,” she wrote. “It would take you all of two seconds to make someone laugh.”
She added that he was “just a sweetheart.”
She remembers him as always being in good humour.
“He could make you laugh. You would meet him and he would be late every time but you couldn’t get mad at him.
“He always had pizza and Coke. That was his meal. He could live on that and I would always give him heck.
“He was a hard worker. He was just a sweet guy, always trying to help people. He couldn’t say no because he really did like to help people.”
Blake was married and had two teenaged sons.
The collision occurred on the highway median strip shortly before 1 p.m., and two off-duty paramedics were first to arrive on the scene moments later.
Blake, who was thrown “more than eight metres from the impact,” showed no vital signs when paramedics arrived, the Ottawa Paramedic Service said.
“Resuscitative measures” were undertaken as he was brought to hospital, but he was declared dead shortly after.
The driver, a man in his 40s, was extricated from the black SUV by Ottawa firefighters. He was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition with head, facial and back injuries.