Cody Bondarchuk last saw his father in the parking lot outside his Edmonton apartment building.
His dad had stopped by unexpectedly to deliver some home-cooked food — something he often did for his three adult children.
“We just chatted about nothing, and it was nice,” Cody said in an interview Monday with CBC Radio’s Edmonton AM.
It was the last conversation they had.
The two at times had a tough relationship over the years, Cody said, and he takes comfort that their last meeting was positive.
“You have to take the average of all of them because you never know what the last one will be.”
Daryn Bondarchuk and two other men were killed in an industrial accident Nov. 15 at Millennium Cryogenic Technologies, an oilfield supply company in the Leduc Business Park.
He was 52.
He is still gone no matter what happened– Cody Bondarchuk
On the day of the accident, Cody said, his father hadn’t picked up the phone for hours and the family was growing concerned.
Then, they were blindsided by a call from RCMP.
“We were so busy in our own lives that day that I hadn’t stopped to check the news, so I had no idea that it was happening,” he said. “It all unfolded very quickly.
“A lot of thoughts were just really jumbled up in my head. I didn’t know how to feel.”
Occupational Health and Safety is leading the investigation. What happened to Daryn Bondarchuk remains a mystery to his family.
“I think some level of me is curious, but frankly he is still gone no matter what happened. So we’re mostly focused on grieving and remembering him.”
A memorial service was held Monday afternoon at Evergreen Funeral Home in Edmonton.
He touched so many people’s lives.– Cody Bondarchuk
Cody said his father will be remembered as a helpful, hardworking man who taught his children that effort was more important than ability.
Accomplished in carpentry, plumbing and woodworking, he was always willing to put his skills to good use for friends and family.
“He touched so many people’s lives and was such an influence,” Cody said.
“He would always be running to a family friend’s house to fix their light switch or help them build something.”
Most of all, Cody said, his father will be remembered for his dedication to his children.
He would take Cody, Ashley and Mat on hunting, fishing and quadding trips, including them in all of his outdoor passions and using his carpentry skills to build them custom furniture and playsets.
“My mother told me a story — he was just so proud when I was born, he was excited to have a son, and to have a baby and be a dad.
“He was very present as a father.”
Daryn Bondarchuk and his son, Cody, feeding the ducks. (Cody Bondarchuk/Facebook)
Since the accident, the family has received hundreds of messages from friends and strangers.
Cody has taken solace in those messages of condolence and by chronicling his grief in a series of personal essays on social media.
Writing down his thoughts helped him make sense of his feelings.
“My brain was just very scrambled and I felt like putting it down into words would make more out sense of it,” he said.
“It’s been very uplifting and very exhausting.
“Grief is usually such a private thing — and that can drive a lot of those emotions underground. But being able to talk with other people and to grieve together, I think it can make that load a little lighter.”