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Toronto Sun
28-05-2025
- Toronto Sun
Family remembers Ontario crash victim as being full of kindness, love
Published May 27, 2025 • 1 minute read Clockwise from top left: Olivia Rourke; Danica Baker; Rowan McLeod; Kaydance Ford; and Matt Eckert. All were killed in a crash northeast of London on May 23, 2025. The family of one of the teens killed in a crash near London, Ont., is remembering her as being 'full of kindness, laughter, dance, song and love.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Olivia Rourke died along with three other girls and a teacher when their SUV collided with another SUV and a transport truck on Friday. The Rourke family says Olivia's absence 'leaves a void that will never be filled and always remembered.' Read More They say in a statement shared by a spokesperson for the Bluewater District School Board that they're moved by the outpouring of support from the community and extending condolences to the other families grieving alongside them. The Rourke family says they're asking for privacy and space as they navigate this 'devastating time.' Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, Danica Baker and teacher Matt Eckert from Walkerton District Community School also died in the crash. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto Maple Leafs World Columnists World Columnists
CTV News
26-05-2025
- CTV News
Students, staff in Walkerton return to school after fatal crash
Young people embrace near a memorial at Walkerton District Community School in Walkerton, Ont. on May 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins WALKERTON — As a small Ontario town continues to grapple with the sudden deaths of four teenage girls and their teacher, students and staff went back to school on Monday morning to find mental health resources on offer. Bluewater District School Board spokesperson Jamie Pettit said mental health and tragedy response teams were ready as students and staff returned to Walkerton District Community School after an accident he described as a 'horrible tragedy.' Matt Eckert, 33, and four teenage girls were killed in a crash when their SUV collided with a transport truck and another SUV just northeast of London, Ont. on Friday, while they were returning from a sporting event. Walkerton victims identified Victims of crash near London, Ont. identified. And Walkerton, Ont., a small town of around 4,500 people, has been in mourning ever since. More than a thousand people, some of whom travelled from neighboring towns, gathered outside the girls' school Sunday evening to show support. Students and residents lined up, holding lit candles and placing them on the ground outside the school entrance by a pile of colourful flowers and a brown teddy bear. 'Hits close to home' Andrew Boutilier said he came to the vigil, where mourners shared prayers, tears and hugs, to be there for the families and friends of the victims. 'It kind of hits close to home, especially when you have a teenager living at home,' he said, adding his 17-year-old son goes to the same school. Not only that, but Boutilier is a tow-truck driver who routinely responds to collision sites. As a father, he said, it was difficult 'knowing that, you know, it could have been your kid that was in that vehicle.' He said his teen spent the day with friends to cope with the tragedy in his own way. 'But you know, it's gonna be a day by day kind of thing, and you just try to be there for him as best as you can to help him get through it.' Ontario Provincial Police and the school board did not publicly release the names of the students, but police said two girls were 16 and two were 17 years old. Tara Twins Minor Softball identified two of the victims as Rowan McLeod and Kaydance Ford, saying both were members of the team. 'Our entire Twins family is reeling from this loss, and our hearts go out to the families, friends and teammates of these beautiful athletes,' the team said in a statement posted on Facebook. 'This tragedy hits harder for this association knowing that they were returning from playing the very sport of softball.' Bluewater Ballistix Volleyball Club identified Danica Baker as another of the victims. The team said in a social media post that they were grieving the tragic loss of someone described by those who knew her as 'a true ray of light,' and someone whose spirit 'lit up every room and every volleyball court she stepped onto.' Eckert was also an assistant coach with the Owen Sound NorthStars Junior B Lacrosse club. Pettit, the school board's spokesperson, said the staff gathered ahead of students' return to school, where he said there would be a 'lot of heavy lifting' required to help students through the initial stages of shock and grief. 'When you have five individuals in one event with a significant loss of life, it certainly does resonate and send a ripple throughout the community. I think the impact is going to be felt for a long time,' Pettit said. The mayor of Brockton, the municipality that includes Walkerton, was among the crowd of mourners at Sunday evening's vigil. Chris Peabody described the tragedy as an 'indescribable grief.' 'It's an absolute cloud and pall across the town, and it's, it's going to take a long while to even get on the road to recovery. It is so devastating,' he said in an interview. He said he had mixed emotions seeing the crowd of mourners. 'It made me feel proud that so many people would come out to support, but very upsetting.'
CTV News
26-05-2025
- CTV News
Students, staff in Walkerton return to school after crash killed students and coach
Young people embrace near a memorial at Walkerton District Community School in Walkerton, Ont. on May 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins WALKERTON — As a small Ontario town continues to grapple with the sudden deaths of four teenage girls and their teacher, students and staff went back to school on Monday morning to find mental health resources on offer. Bluewater District School Board spokesperson Jamie Pettit said mental health and tragedy response teams were ready as students and staff returned to Walkerton District Community School after an accident he described as a 'horrible tragedy.' Matt Eckert, 33, and four teenage girls were killed in a crash when their SUV collided with a transport truck and another SUV just northeast of London, Ont. on Friday, while they were returning from a sporting event. Walkerton victims identified Victims of crash near London, Ont. identified. And Walkerton, Ont., a small town of around 4,500 people, has been in mourning ever since. More than a thousand people, some of whom travelled from neighboring towns, gathered outside the girls' school Sunday evening to show support. Students and residents lined up, holding lit candles and placing them on the ground outside the school entrance by a pile of colourful flowers and a brown teddy bear. 'Hits close to home' Andrew Boutilier said he came to the vigil, where mourners shared prayers, tears and hugs, to be there for the families and friends of the victims. 'It kind of hits close to home, especially when you have a teenager living at home,' he said, adding his 17-year-old son goes to the same school. Not only that, but Boutilier is a tow-truck driver who routinely responds to collision sites. As a father, he said, it was difficult 'knowing that, you know, it could have been your kid that was in that vehicle.' He said his teen spent the day with friends to cope with the tragedy in his own way. 'But you know, it's gonna be a day by day kind of thing, and you just try to be there for him as best as you can to help him get through it.' Ontario Provincial Police and the school board did not publicly release the names of the students, but police said two girls were 16 and two were 17 years old. Tara Twins Minor Softball identified two of the victims as Rowan McLeod and Kaydance Ford, saying both were members of the team. 'Our entire Twins family is reeling from this loss, and our hearts go out to the families, friends and teammates of these beautiful athletes,' the team said in a statement posted on Facebook. 'This tragedy hits harder for this association knowing that they were returning from playing the very sport of softball.' Bluewater Ballistix Volleyball Club identified Danica Baker as another of the victims. The team said in a social media post that they were grieving the tragic loss of someone described by those who knew her as 'a true ray of light,' and someone whose spirit 'lit up every room and every volleyball court she stepped onto.' Eckert was also an assistant coach with the Owen Sound NorthStars Junior B Lacrosse club. Pettit, the school board's spokesperson, said the staff gathered ahead of students' return to school, where he said there would be a 'lot of heavy lifting' required to help students through the initial stages of shock and grief. 'When you have five individuals in one event with a significant loss of life, it certainly does resonate and send a ripple throughout the community. I think the impact is going to be felt for a long time,' Pettit said. The mayor of Brockton, the municipality that includes Walkerton, was among the crowd of mourners at Sunday evening's vigil. Chris Peabody described the tragedy as an 'indescribable grief.' 'It's an absolute cloud and pall across the town, and it's, it's going to take a long while to even get on the road to recovery. It is so devastating,' he said in an interview. He said he had mixed emotions seeing the crowd of mourners. 'It made me feel proud that so many people would come out to support, but very upsetting.'
Global News
26-05-2025
- Global News
Students, staff return to Ontario school after crash killed 4 teens and coach
Students and staff heading back to school today in a central Ontario town can expect to see increased mental health resources as the community continues to grapple with the deaths of four students and a teacher. Bluewater District School Board spokesperson Jamie Pettit says mental health and tragedy response teams are ready as students and staff return to Walkerton District Community School after an accident he described as a 'horrible tragedy' claimed the lives of five people. Matt Eckert, 33, and four teenage girls were killed in a crash when their SUV collided with a transport truck and another SUV just northeast of London, Ont. on Friday at around 4:30 p.m., while they were returning from a sporting event. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Ontario Provincial Police and the school board have not released the names of the students, but police say two girls were 16 and two were 17 years old. Story continues below advertisement Eckert was also an assistant coach with the Owen Sound NorthStars Junior B Lacrosse club. Hundreds gathered at a vigil on Sunday evening outside the Walkerton school, where attendees lit candles and laid flowers. Pettit says staff gathered ahead of students' return to school, where he says there will be a 'lot of heavy lifting' required to help students through the initial stages of shock and grief. 'When you have five individuals in one event with a significant loss of life, it certainly does resonate and send a ripple throughout the community. I think the impact is going to be felt for a long time,' Pettit said.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
4 teenagers, 1 man dead after multi-vehicle crash near London, police say
Four teenagers and a man are dead after a multi-vehicle crash on Friday near London, Ontario Provincial Police said. Emergency crews responded around 4:30 p.m. to the crash northeast of London at Thorndale and Cobble Hills roads, Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said Saturday. An SUV collided with a transport truck, which then collided with a second SUV, he said. All five victims were in the first SUV, he said. Two 17-year-old girls and a 16-year-old girl died at the scene, Sanchuk said. A 16-year-old girl and a 33-year-old man were taken to hospital where they were later pronounced dead. The truck driver and the two people in the second SUV sustained minor injuries, he said. "We're not going to be releasing any further information, just to give that opportunity to the grieving and devastated families to just do that: grieve," Sanchuk said. Bluewater District School Board said in a statement on Saturday that the four teenagers were students at Walkerton District Community School, and the 33-year-old was a staff member. They had been returning to the school, located just over 100 kilometres north of the crash, following a sporting event near London. "At this incredibly difficult time, we are supporting and respecting the privacy of the grieving families. We are unable to provide further details on the incident or identities of the individuals involved," the statement said. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families directly impacted, as they deal with unimaginable grief and sadness through this sudden and heartbreaking loss." The school board is offering mental health supports to students and staff at the school in the weeks ahead. Police are asking any witnesses in the area at the time of the crash to check their dash cam footage. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers. In a post on X Saturday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was "devastated" about the crash. "My thoughts are with the families and loved ones grieving this terrible loss," the post read.
