A “nightmare” for a village of the Bas-Saint-Laurent

Photo courtesy
Anthony John (photo) and his son of 11 years died as a result of the collision that occurred Saturday morning. The events have severely shaken the community of about 450 inhabitants, is situated between Matane and Amqui.

Dominique Lelièvre

Monday, January 8, 2018 00:08

UPDATE
Monday, January 8, 2018 00:08

Look at this article

The relatives of the father and his boy who died in a collision with a snow thrower in Saint-Vianney had the impression of living a nightmare in the aftermath of the tragedy, yesterday, while their community was trying to get up of the sad events.

• Read also: A family from Saint-Vianney decimated

“We are all earth, the village to the full “, has dropped Patrick Lebrun, a close friend of Anthony John. The man, 46-year-old native of the municipality has lost his life Saturday morning, as his son Gabriel, who was preparing to blow out his 12 candles. His little brother, 9 years old, was still in a critical condition in a Montreal hospital at the time of writing these lines.

Photo courtesy

Anthony Jean and her two boys, Gabriel (11 years old) to the left, Philip (9 years old) to the right.

“A boute-en-train “, ” a ” bon vivant “, a man “involved,” the family of Anthony John does not have good words for him. The man had, in November, to be elected as a municipal councillor in Saint-Vianney. “It was he who was going to open volunteer ice rink for children to have fun. It was a being who was liked by everybody, ” said Mr. Lebrun.

“One has the impression of being in a nightmare,” said another close.

“It was a being who was liked by everybody, it was a flame of our village.” – Patrick Lebrun, a close friend of the deceased

According to the testimony, Anthony John was driving his sons to their mother, where a feast was organized, when the tragedy occurred. At the exit of the village, the driver was violently rammed a truck for snow removal on route 195. The authorities do not go into the causes of the collision, but several loved ones evoke the weather, while a storm was sweeping the East-of-Quebec, the day before.

“The snow banks are so high and with the wind that there was blowing snow, and drifting snow, according to me […] he has not seen anything “, said Mr. Lebrun.

“Appalling “

In the town of 450 souls, it is also worth to be noted. “It is a blow to our small community “, agreed the mayor Georges Guénard, while the headquarters of Mr. Jean will be vacant at the opening of the first council of the town of Saint-Vianney, tonight. “It was a guy eager to help, always ready to lend a helping hand,” he remembered.

The drama shakes also the primary schools in Saint-Vianney and Saint-Tharcisius, where the boys were studying. “It is awful. You know that these are small villages, so the people all know each other. It has an emotional impact quite exceptional, ” responded the president of the school Board Monts-et-Tides, Celine Lefrançois.

This is to confirm that a crisis unit will be in place starting tomorrow to help the school children during the back-to-school. “Our psychologists, social workers, and psychoeducators will be available to the students and the team of teachers “, she assured.

Ongoing investigation

For its part, the Sûreté du Québec has stated that its investigation is ongoing to explain the drama. Several hypotheses are discussed, from the weather to a possible discomfort of the driver, but that of impaired abilities would, however, be ruled out.

— With the collaboration of Arnaud Koenig-Soutière