Two small towns in Newfoundland and Labrador are in deep mourning following the tragic loss of two men in a deadly vehicle accident that occurred in Alberta during the early hours of Wednesday morning.
One of the victims was Harold May Jr., 37, of Badger, a town of just under 900 residents in central Newfoundland.
May was a husband and father of two young children, and worked as a heavy equipment operator in Alberta.
The second man, also 37, was a resident of Glovertown, a town of just over 2,100 on the province’s northeast coast. His identity has not been released.
Like thousands of people from Newfoundland and Labrador, they worked turnaround shifts in the Alberta oilsands, travelling back and forth to western Canada.
They were killed when the taxi van they were riding in collided with a pickup truck in Leduc, Alta. They were starting their journey home after completing a shift.
Town feeling the sting, mayor says
Badger Mayor Mike Patey described May as a “very nice man” who served his community as a volunteer firefighter.
“He will be missed in our community, no doubt,” said Patey.
The mayor said the entire town is feeling the loss, and doing what they can to support May’s young family.
“Everybody got their family in their thoughts and their prayers right now,” he said.
May was also an exceptional athlete, and excelled in both hockey and softball.
In Glovertown, meanwhile, news of the tragedy hit in the midst of the town’s annual celebration of winter.
Disbelief at first
Mayor Doug Churchill said people began finding out about the accident during a dinner theatre attended by about 200 residents.
He said there was general disbelief at first, but now the tragedy is starting to set in.
“This is going to put a damper on a lot of peoples’ feelings and emotions,” he said.
Churchill is a retired teacher, and the victim was a student of his who has worked in Alberta for about a decade.
“Everybody’s pretty broken hearted today,” he said.
Churchill estimates that about 100 residents of Glovertown work in Alberta.
“The situation itself is not ideal. The money is good, but the time away from family is terrible. But it’s a way of making a living,” said Churchill.
RCMP say the crash happened around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
A third passenger was thrown from the van and taken to hospital. As of Wednesday night, the passenger was listed in stable condition. The 38-year-old taxi driver is in hospital with critical injuries.
The truck driver was not hurt, and his 25-year-old passenger received only minor injuries.
