The grieving family of Gordon and Amber Bjorkman of Merritt, who lost their lives in a head-on collision on Highway 5 on Dec. 2, are speaking out about the tragic loss of their beloved parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
乌鸦传媒淢y wife Keli and I have good moments remembering them, and then something sets us off and the tears start,乌鸦传媒� Gordon and Amber乌鸦传媒檚 son Dave Bjorkman said in an interview with Black Press on Dec. 7.
The vehicle in which his parents were driving collided with a commercial vehicle while the couple was travelling to Clearwater to visit their grown children.
乌鸦传媒淚 was out on the highway, and I tried to get in touch with my parents to tell them the road was closed due to an accident, and ultimately found out it was them.乌鸦传媒�
Cpl. Mike Moore, media relations with BC Highway Patrol, said the collision took place at about 10:45 a.m. in the northbound lane. 乌鸦传媒淭he initial investigation points to the commercial vehicle entering the oncoming lane, where it struck the oncoming car,乌鸦传媒� he said.
The couple was pronounced dead at the scene. Moore said that the investigation is now 乌鸦传媒渇ocusing on the driving behaviour of the commercial truck leading up to the crash.乌鸦传媒�
Dave is a foreman for BC Hydro based in Clearwater. A certified journeyman lineman, he has years of experience as a Class 1 driver, and was out on a work-related call not far from where the crash took place that same day.
乌鸦传媒淚 spend lots of my time on the highway with hydro. I乌鸦传媒檓 out there all the time and we see too much of this on this stretch of highway.
乌鸦传媒淭here are so many 乌鸦传媒榳hat ifs乌鸦传媒�. I could乌鸦传媒檝e gotten up that morning, saw it was snowing, and phoned my mom and told them not to come up during this first significant snowfall, but then again it乌鸦传媒檚 my mom, who wants to come up and deliver Christmas presents. Normally they would have texted us before they left. But she didn乌鸦传媒檛 text me this time, because I would have said not to come. Our family is devastated.乌鸦传媒�
Dave and Keli have five grown children between them and three grandchildren, and Keli says Gordon and Amber adored their great-grandchildren. The Bjorkmans乌鸦传媒� daughter Carole Mahood and husband Pat live in Williams Lake. Their cousin 乌鸦传媒� Gordon and Amber乌鸦传媒檚 niece 乌鸦传媒� is Lana Popham, B.C.乌鸦传媒檚 minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, who posted a loving message on social media on Dec. 7. It read in part 乌鸦传媒淭his news is so hard to accept and to understand. My brother Guy Mckintuck and our entire family send our cousins Dave Bjorkman and Carole Mahood and their families all of our love and support at this incredibly difficult time.乌鸦传媒�
When asked about his cousin, who plays a prominent role in provincial politics, Dave replied 乌鸦传媒淢y cousin doesn乌鸦传媒檛 want to politicize this, understandably, but I乌鸦传媒檓 hoping that she乌鸦传媒檒l walk down the hall to visit the minister of transportation, Rob Fleming, to share her feelings. Maybe this will impact the government in an emotional way when it乌鸦传媒檚 touched someone乌鸦传媒檚 family so deeply in their own circle and a close colleague.乌鸦传媒�
Dave was a volunteer firefighter in Terrace for 15 years before moving to Clearwater. He is a dedicated Canadian Ranger and belongs to the 100 Mile House Canadian Ranger Patrol, where he often volunteers to train youth in outdoor life skills, such as survival in the bush and how to safely operate snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles.
During his years as a volunteer firefighter, he experienced the after-effects of PTSD, and knows how difficult it is for first responders in the North Thompson to continually attend traumatic incidents. He is concerned that the high volume of fatals they must debrief from will eventually result in the same impact it had on him when serving.
乌鸦传媒淚 know firsthand what they are going through. We are so thankful for them, but I worry for their emotional well-being. I乌鸦传媒檝e been there.乌鸦传媒�
In describing Gordon and Amber, their son乌鸦传媒檚 voice becomes lighter. 乌鸦传媒淭heir life was so large together. My dad climbed mountains starting in his teens and became a pilot, building a plane in our basement. Mom even went to ground school. He was an electrician for BC Hydro and mom worked for ICBC.
乌鸦传媒淎t 81 years old Dad continued working on and off and was still a contract instructor for BC Hydro, working for a safety training company. They travelled together and loved golfing. They belonged to the Shriners, and Mom (77) was active in the Royal Purple. They were in love and lived life to the fullest. I could spend hours talking about my mom and dad, their active life, and how they loved doing new things together their whole lives.乌鸦传媒�
The Bjorkmans became 乌鸦传媒渟nowbirds乌鸦传媒� in 2017 after buying a small vacation home in California.
乌鸦传媒淣othing stopped them,乌鸦传媒� said Keli fondly. 乌鸦传媒淭hey were amazing together. They showed up in that small quiet place and next thing you know they were organizing social gatherings and special events. They lived such full lives and would do so many fun things together, like dressing up for Saint Patrick乌鸦传媒檚 Day. I can see them in my memory, Gord dressed up like a leprechaun and Amber in a beautiful green sparkling gown.
乌鸦传媒淏oth of my parents are gone from dementia. We had time to prepare for that. This is so different, so sudden. We were both lost the day this happened and still are overwhelmed.乌鸦传媒� Keli added that she and Dave are moved by the community members who have dropped off food, flowers, and messages, for which they are so thankful.
Dave said that he doesn乌鸦传媒檛 want his parents乌鸦传媒� lives to have been lost in vain, adding that there need to be stricter regulations and follow-up in place for training commercial drivers.
乌鸦传媒淭o be a commercial pilot you must be able to speak and read English, because it乌鸦传媒檚 recognized internationally. It乌鸦传媒檚 a standard of training, and these drivers aren乌鸦传媒檛 receiving the training. They come here as new Canadians, and it seems as though they are forced immediately into a work environment they aren乌鸦传媒檛 ready for or properly trained in.
乌鸦传媒淚 hope people write letters to the minister of transportation and demand change. There need to be changes in training, changes in qualifications. The way this is happening is not sustainable. We can raise our voices together by contacting our MLAs, writing to the ministry, speaking to our local officials.乌鸦传媒�
Dave spoke of his sister, who is struggling to process this painful loss of both parents at once. She is a beekeeper who told the family of the old saying 乌鸦传媒淭ell the bees,乌鸦传媒� which now carries special meaning for them all.
乌鸦传媒淭elling the bees乌鸦传媒� is a ceremony that calls for a beekeeper to notify their hives of a death in the family. According to tradition, bees that are 乌鸦传媒減ut into mourning乌鸦传媒� help shepherd the dead into the afterlife, as well as reward their stewards with a generous honey harvest.
乌鸦传媒淢om and Dad aren乌鸦传媒檛 gone, they are here with us. We will tell the bees,乌鸦传媒� said Dave.
The family is planning a special celebration of life in the spring, when it is safer to travel, to spread Amber and Gordon乌鸦传媒檚 ashes in the north shore area of Howe Sound, a place they both loved.
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