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Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
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Hallmark actor Noel Johansen mourns wife's death in Vancouver festival tragedy: 'She was larger than life'
Noel Johansen is mourning his wife, Jen Darbellay, after her death at a music festival in Vancouver. The actor, who has starred in Hallmark Channel projects like Home for Christmas Day and Unleashing Mr. Darcy, eulogized Darbellay on Monday at a vigil for the victims of the SUV collision that killed 11 people at a Filipino cultural festival celebrating Lapu Lapu Day on Saturday. "What you see here is an injury that means nothing to me because what's inside — my heart is broken, because my wife passed away behind me at the incident," Johansen said, acknowledging his own injury at the festival that led to him using crutches at the vigil, which was captured on video by Global News Canada. The actor, who has also appeared in episodes of Fargo and DC's Legends of Tomorrow, stated that he could sense his wife's love with every embrace after her death. "Everyone who hugged me since then, I felt her," he said. Johansen went on to remember his wife's humility and impact. "The one thing I wanted to tell you, if you never knew Jennifer Darbellay, my wife: she never celebrated herself in her life," he said. "She never thought of herself. She thought of herself as small in terms of the reach. And I can tell you, she was larger than life for any of you who know her. So don't be small in life. Be big, reach out, and reach out as a human being with everything you have and please remember us that went through this." Johansen's friend and business partner, Michael Daingerfield Hall, also paid tribute to Darbellay as he established a GoFundMe campaign for the actor's family. "She was an incredibly thoughtful, warm, caring, smart, stylish, artistic woman," he wrote. "A gifted painter, a selfless mother, and a loving wife. She gave the best hugs, was always there to listen without judgement, and had the sweetest voice." The Vancouver Police announced in a social media post that multiple people died after a driver drove a vehicle into a crowd at a Lapu Lapu street festival on Saturday night, and that the driver was in police custody. In a follow-up post, the VPD identified the suspect as 30-year-old Vancouver resident Kai-Ji Adam Lo, and he had been charged with eight counts of second-degree Police Interim Chief Steve Rai said in a press conference on Sunday that the suspect had "a significant history of interactions with police and health care professionals related to mental health," and that the department could "say with confidence that the evidence in this case does not lead us to believe this was an act of terrorism." After the VPD reported that over two dozen additional bystanders were injured in the incident, Sergeant Steve Addison announced Thursday that 13 people remain hospitalized after sustaining injuries at the event, with four in critical condition and two in serious condition. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hallmark Star Noel Johansen's Wife Killed in Festival Vancouver Attack: 'My Heart Is Broken'
Hallmark star Noel Johansen is mourning the loss of his wife Jen Darbellay. Darbellay, 50, was killed in Vancouver on Saturday, April 26, when an SUV drove into a crowd celebrating Filipino culture at a Lapu Lapu festival. In an interview with Global News Canada, Johansen, on crutches, remembered his late wife. 'What you see here is an injury that means nothing to me because what's inside my heart is broken,' he told the outlet during a vigil honoring the victims and their families. 'Because my wife passed away behind me at the incident.' 'She never celebrated herself in her life,' the actor said of Darbellay. 'She never thought of herself, she thought of herself as small in terms of the reach. And I can tell you she was larger than life for any of you who know her. So don't be small in life, be big, reach out and reach out as a human being with everything you have and please remember us who went through this.' Related: 5-Year-Old Girl Among Victims of Vancouver Car Attack That Killed 11 as Suspect Is Named and Charged with Murder: Police Johansen and Darbellay shared two children, Ford, 15, and Darby, 7, who were also at the event during the incident, which left 11 dead and several others injured. PEOPLE reached out to a representative for Johansen for comment. Related: 1-Year-Old in Critical Condition After Vancouver Festival Attack, His 'Devoted and Loving Father' Also Hospitalized A GoFundMe set up by the actor's close friend describes Darbellay as 'one-of-a-kind.' 'She was an incredibly thoughtful, warm, caring, smart, stylish, artistic woman,' the message reads. 'A gifted painter, a selfless mother, and a loving wife. She gave the best hugs, was always there to listen without judgement, and had the sweetest voice. She was not only special to me and my family (wife and kids), but she was special to many other friends and people.' The page, which has raised nearly $170,000 of its $200,000 goal, highlighted Darbellay's involvement in each member of her family's lives and the impact that the grief has taken on those who knew her. 'This is an incredibly difficult time for Noel, and moving forward with his life is going to feel insurmountable,' the friend wrote. 'I know that his work will undoubtedly be affected and I would really like for him and his family to be supported during this time. There will be many costs including airfare for immediate family, food, child care, counselling, funeral expenses, etc.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Darbellay was one of 11 people who died on Saturday, April 26 when 30-year-old Kai-Ji Adam Lo allegedly drove his car at high speeds through a crowd and striking multiple attendees at the Lapu Lapu Day street festival. The following day, he was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder in relation to the attack. PEOPLE previously reported that Lo was "known to police" and had "a significant history of interactions with police and health care professionals, related to mental health." In a statement on X, the Vancouver Police Department confirmed that the dead ranged in age between 5 and 65. According to the BBC, the attack also left "more than two dozen others injured.' "The charge assessment is ongoing and further charges are anticipated," authorities said in their statement. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
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Injured Hallmark Star Noel Johansen Tearfully Remembers His Wife Who Was Killed in Vancouver Festival Attack: ‘My Heart Is Broken'
Noel Johansen, a prolific TV actor who has appeared in several Hallmark movies, tearfully paid tribute to his wife Jenifer Darbellay at a vigil held in memory of victims killed in an attack at a Vancouver street festival Saturday. Darbellay, an artist and costumer for theater and films including 'The Assassination of Jesse James,' died when a driver with a history of mental illness rammed into the crowded Lapu Lapu festival celebrating Filipino culture. She was one of 11 people who died as a result of their injuries in the attack. Johansen and their 7-year-old daughter were also injured. The actor, who has appeared in 'Reunited at Christmas' and 'Fargo,' spoke on crutches at the vigil Monday about his wife, who was mother to their children Darby and Ford. 'What you see here is an injury that means nothing to me because what's inside my heart is broken. Because my wife passed away behind me at the incident,' Johansen said in a video posted by Global News Canada. 'She never celebrated herself in her life. She never thought of herself, she thought of herself as small in terms of the reach,' he said. 'And I can tell you she was larger than life for any of you who know her. 'So don't be small in life. Be big, reach out and reach out as a human being with everything you have — and please remember us who went through this.' A GoFundMe for the family posted by a friend described Darbellay as 'one-of-a-kind. She was an incredibly thoughtful, warm, caring, smart, stylish, artistic woman. A gifted painter, a selfless mother, and a loving wife. She gave the best hugs, was always there to listen without judgement, and had the sweetest voice.' Johansen, who holds Canadian, American and British citizenship, also appeared in 'When Calls the Heart,' 'Chesapeake Shores,' 'Harvest Love' and 'Home for Christmas Day.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Netflix in May 2025 What's Coming to Disney+ in May 2025
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hallmark Star Noel Johansen's Wife Killed in Festival Vancouver Attack: 'My Heart Is Broken'
Hallmark star Noel Johansen is mourning the loss of his wife Jen Darbellay. Darbellay, 50, was killed in Vancouver on Saturday, April 26, when an SUV drove into a crowd celebrating Filipino culture at a Lapu Lapu festival. In an interview with Global News Canada, Johansen, on crutches, remembered his late wife. 'What you see here is an injury that means nothing to me because what's inside my heart is broken,' he told the outlet during a vigil honoring the victims and their families. 'Because my wife passed away behind me at the incident.' 'She never celebrated herself in her life,' the actor said of Darbellay. 'She never thought of herself, she thought of herself as small in terms of the reach. And I can tell you she was larger than life for any of you who know her. So don't be small in life, be big, reach out and reach out as a human being with everything you have and please remember us who went through this.' Related: 5-Year-Old Girl Among Victims of Vancouver Car Attack That Killed 11 as Suspect Is Named and Charged with Murder: Police Johansen and Darbellay shared two children, Ford, 15, and Darby, 7, who were also at the event during the incident, which left 11 dead and several others injured. PEOPLE reached out to a representative for Johansen for comment. Related: 1-Year-Old in Critical Condition After Vancouver Festival Attack, His 'Devoted and Loving Father' Also Hospitalized A GoFundMe set up by the actor's close friend describes Darbellay as 'one-of-a-kind.' 'She was an incredibly thoughtful, warm, caring, smart, stylish, artistic woman,' the message reads. 'A gifted painter, a selfless mother, and a loving wife. She gave the best hugs, was always there to listen without judgement, and had the sweetest voice. She was not only special to me and my family (wife and kids), but she was special to many other friends and people.' The page, which has raised nearly $170,000 of its $200,000 goal, highlighted Darbellay's involvement in each member of her family's lives and the impact that the grief has taken on those who knew her. 'This is an incredibly difficult time for Noel, and moving forward with his life is going to feel insurmountable,' the friend wrote. 'I know that his work will undoubtedly be affected and I would really like for him and his family to be supported during this time. There will be many costs including airfare for immediate family, food, child care, counselling, funeral expenses, etc.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Darbellay was one of 11 people who died on Saturday, April 26 when 30-year-old Kai-Ji Adam Lo allegedly drove his car at high speeds through a crowd and striking multiple attendees at the Lapu Lapu Day street festival. The following day, he was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder in relation to the attack. PEOPLE previously reported that Lo was "known to police" and had "a significant history of interactions with police and health care professionals, related to mental health." In a statement on X, the Vancouver Police Department confirmed that the dead ranged in age between 5 and 65. According to the BBC, the attack also left "more than two dozen others injured.' "The charge assessment is ongoing and further charges are anticipated," authorities said in their statement. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Noel Johansen's Wife Jen Killed in Vancouver Lapu-Lapu Car Attack
Originally appeared on E! Online Noel Johansen's family is mourning a tragic loss. The Hallmark star shared that his wife Jen Darbellay was among the 11 killed after a man drove an SUV through the Lapu-Lapu Filipino festival in Vancouver April 26. She was 50. "It hit us before we knew," Johansen told The Associated Press in an interview published April 29. "I was falling in slow motion, trying to save my head from smashing in the pavement. It's like a giant tidal wave." The Harvest Love actor and their son Ford, 15, and daughter Darby, 7, survived the attack. On April 27, Vancouver police confirmed that a suspect, 30-year-old Kai-Ji Adam Lo, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder. Following the incident, which also left 32 injured, Johansen reflected on the heartbreaking news. "What you see here is an injury that means nothing to me because what's inside my heart is broken," he told reporters at the scene of the crime April 28, per Global News Canada. "Because my wife passed away behind me at the incident." More from E! Online Full House's Jodie Sweetin Addresses Candace Cameron Bure Feud Rumors Mathew Knowles Makes Rare Comment About Ex Tina Knowles Why Gwyneth Paltrow Thinks Her Ski Crash Trial Was 'Ridiculous' He admitted that his wife, an artist, "never celebrated herself in her life." "She never thought of herself," he said. "She thought of herself as small in terms of reach. I can tell you she was larger than life for any of you who know her." "So, don't be small in life," he continued, "be big, reach out and reach out as a human being with everything you have and please remember us who went through this." Darbellay was also a painter, seamstress, illustrator and costume designer, according to her biography. As the blurb noted, "There has not been a year of her life that she was not a creative artist, she has been very blessed to always work in the arts." Over her career, she earned multiple awards for her costuming and began teaching art at The Luminous Elephant in Vancouver last fall. The studio expressed its condolences following her unexpected death with a heartfelt message about her impact in the community. "One of the deepest longings of the human soul is to be seen," the April 30 Instagram post began. "Our dearest luminous instructor, friend, mother, wife, artist, humanitarian - Jen, saw everyone. She encouraged every single student in our studio over a threshold to expressing their deepest longings, voices, sorrows, joy in their art and therefore their life." "She volunteered absolutely everywhere for her children, her community and those quietly privately struggling," the message continued. "Always with the biggest smile in a very very soft way." In fact, the studio received emails "begging" them to let Jen teach another course because "she was pure love and joy and so entirely nurturing." Simply put, "Everyone adored Jen." For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
