What we know about the Humboldt Broncos crash victims from Alberta
NOTE: This story will be updated as we learn more about the victims of the crash.
Fifteen people were killed and 14 injured when a bus filled with staff and players of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team collided with a transport truck near Tisdale, Sask. on Friday.
The horrific crash shocked the entire country. But many of the victims were Albertans — promising hockey players from small towns, young men with limitless futures, and a beloved coach.
Derek Patter, 19
The father of one of the injured players posted this photo on Twitter. From the left are Derek Patter, Greyson Cameron and Nick Shumlanski. (Twitter/rjpatter)
Patter is from Edmonton and was injured in the collision. His father posted a widely-shared photo of Derek holding hands with injured teammates Greysen Cameron and Nick Shumlanski in hospital shortly after the collision.
On Sunday, Patter’s father tweeted a message to Toronto Blue Jays player Marcus Stroman.
“I’m a parent of one of the injured players,” the tweet said. “My son will survive and continue with his life but 15 of his team brothers will not. Thank you for taking the time to support our boys.”
Greyson Cameron, 18
Cameron is from Olds. His current condition is not known. (Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League)
Cameron is from Olds and was injured in the collision. He was seen holding hands in hospital with injured teammates Derek Patter and Nick Schumlanski in a widely shared photo on Twitter. His current condition is not known.
Parker Tobin, 17
Tobin is a goalie for the Broncos and was injured in the collision. (Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League)
Tobin, a goalie, is from Stony Plain and was injured in the crash. His mother, Rhonda Clarke Tobin, posted on Twitter the night of the collision saying her son was being airlifted to a hospital in Saskatoon.
His current condition is not known.
Ryan Straschnitzki, 18
Ryan Straschnitzki suffered a broken back in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, according to his father, Tom. (Submitted by Tom Straschnitzki)
Straschnitzki is from Airdrie. His father, Tom, said his son suffered a broken back in the collision and couldn’t feek anything from his waist down. He was scheduled to undergo surgery Saturday at a hospital in Saskatoon.
Straschnitzki said his son remembers little about the crash.
“He remembers he was in the middle of the bus and then he remembers waking up when the paramedics took him off the bus … and he said, ‘I thought the semi T-boned right in the middle,’ but he said, ‘no, it was in the front of the bus.'”
Conner Lukan, 20
Conner Lukan was one of seven players on the Humboldt team who was from Alberta. (SASWP)
Lukan was from Slave Lake, Alta. He was a forward for the Broncos and joined the team this season, after playing with the Grove Saints in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Lukan died in the collision.
Jaxon Joseph, 20
“We are extremely saddened to hear that former Eagle Jaxon Joseph has passed away in the Humboldt Broncos bus accident. Jaxon was a member of our team in the 2015-16 season. Rest In Peace,” the Surrey Eagles wrote on Twitter. (Surrey Eagles/Twitter)
Born in Edmonton, Joseph was a forward for the Broncos and one of the leading scorers in the SJHL playoffs. He previously played for the Surrey Eagles of the British Columbia Hockey League. He did not survive the collision.
Joseph’s former coach in B.C., Blaine Neufeld, said: “Something particular about Jaxon was that he had a particular smile. He lit up the room.”
Tyler Smith, 19
Smith is a forward for the Broncos.
Smith is from Leduc. He was injured in the collision.
His current condition is not know.
Logan Hunter, 18
Logan Hunter was 18-years-old, and had played for the St. Albert Raiders before coming to Humboldt. (Humboldt Broncos website)
Hunter is from St. Albert and played for the Raiders in his hometown before coming to Humboldt. He had finished Grade 12 and was in the process of upgrading. He had also taken his SATs in the past year.
Rene Cannon billeted Hunter, as well as teammates Adam Herold and Zavier Labelle, who were also killed in the collision.
“He had this smirk about him most of the time that might have made you think he was a little bit cocky but he was truly this kind soul, that lay down on the floor and spent time with our puppies,” she said, recalling Hunter’s ever-ready willingness to play games or mini-stick matches with her children.
Stephen Wack, 21
Stephen Wack, 21, did not survive the crash, according to his cousin. (Humboldt Broncos website)
Wack was a defenceman and played two seasons with the Broncos.
Alicia Wack, cousin of Stephen Wack, told The Canadian Press the 21-year-old did not survive the collision.
Whack was an up-and-coming videographer.
Logan Boulet, 21
Logan Boulet, 21, was critically injured in the crash. His organs will be donated. (SJHL)
Boulet, from Lethbridge, was critically injured in the crash.
A family friend speaking on behalf of Boulet’s family confirmed to CBC News that the defenceman was expected to be taken off life support Saturday night and his organs would be harvested, saving at least six other lives.
Boulet was described as a “caring, humble and genuine man who would do anything for anyone before himself.”
Darcy Haugan, 42
Broncos head coach Darcy Haugan, who lived in Humboldt but was from Peace River, Alta., was among those killed in the crash. He is survived by his wife Christine and their two sons. (Family photo)
Haugan was the head coach of the Humboldt Broncos and the first person confirmed dead in the collision. Friends and former players are remembering him for instilling character and integrity in his team — both on and off the ice.
“He was the coach everybody wanted. Darcy never gave up on anybody. He was always there for every one of his players, always fought for every one of his players, always had their backs. Just a guy you loved playing for. You wanted to win for him,” said Bud Dyck, who was coached by Haugan with the North Peace Navigators in Peace River from 2009 to 2014.
Mike Fosty was an assistant coach with the team and worked with Haugan for 10 years.
He said it was a dream come true for Haugan when he took a coaching job with the Broncos in 2015.
“He’ll be in my heart every time I go to that arena or step behind the bench to coach,” Fosty said. “He’ll always be there. I know he’ll be there looking down, looking after us.”