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Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Globe and Mail
Walkerton, Ont., shattered after teen athletes, teacher killed in crash on way home from softball tournament
One week after a crash took the lives of four teenage girls and a teacher from Walkerton District Community School as they travelled home from a softball tournament, family and friends in shattered disbelief are preparing to memorialize them in services this weekend. Danica Baker and Olivia Rourke will be remembered together Saturday on the arena floor of the Walkerton Community Centre. Later that day, a celebration of life for Kaydance Ford will take place at a baseball diamond in nearby Chesley, Ont. On Sunday, a service will be held for Rowan McLeod at the Chesley Arena. There will also be a ceremony in Owen Sound for 33-year-old teacher Matthew Eckert – also well known for his local lacrosse career – after two days of visitations at a funeral home. It's an overwhelming wave of memorials after days of mourning. A candlelight vigil outside the K-12 school drew hundreds earlier this week. Bouquets of flowers remain piled at the front doors of the school, and school busses have small blue ribbons on their front grills. Grief counsellors are on hand across the region. The school's Riverhawks logo – now wrapped in a heart – is displayed at some businesses. Flags are at half-mast. Residents have placed sneakers or baseball cleats on their doorsteps. The Walkerton Pentecostal Church displayed a message of support. The five victims were returning from a softball tournament in Dorchester, Ont., last Friday afternoon when the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a transport truck and another SUV outside London, some two hours south of Walkerton. Those in the other vehicles suffered minor injuries. The OPP is still investigating. The loss of these four female athletes – ages 16 and 17 – and the popular teacher is felt widely across the region, largely because they participated in many different activities, inside and outside school. Athletes and families from three area minor sports clubs that also had some of the girls as members all came together at a community centre this week – Kilsyth Young Guns Broomball, Tara Minor Softball, and Township of Chatsworth & District Minor Hockey Association. 'It was very cathartic,' said Ejaye McComb, a coach from the Tara Twins U18 softball team, which included Ms. McLeod and Ford. Both girls could play in the infield, the outfield and were solid hitters. Ford and Ms. McLeod were leaders, fun to be around, always joking and lightening the team's mood. 'As a coach or a teammate you couldn't ask for more. They both had a long future ahead of them as players and likely future coaches,' Mr. McComb said. 'I'm positive that they would have succeeded at anything that they tried in life.' On top of sports, and being a loving big sister, Ford, 16, also excelled in shop at school. Ms. McLeod, 17, also played hockey, broomball, and was a summer camp leader. She spearheaded the softball team's plans to order jackets, researching all the costs and making the arrangements. 'This doesn't feel real. I feel like they are on vacation right now, but I think this weekend will make it feel real to me, that they're not coming back,' said 16-year-old Addison Teeter, a Twins softball teammate of Ms. McLeod and Ford, who also forged a close friendship with Ms. McLeod as hockey teammates. She'd met all four girls over the years. 'You always hear about this stuff in the news, but you never think it's gonna happen to you. These girls touched so many people, whether you knew them from sports or parties. You realize your life is precious and you only get to live once, so you have to live it to the fullest.' Ms. Rourke, 17, was living out many passions. After growing up a gymnast at Hanover Aerials Gymnastics Club she transitioned into coaching kids there. 'There was just so much potential in her. She was so responsible,' said Brenda Jolly, the club's executive director. 'It means something to a little kid when the coach smiles at them or tells them they're doing a good job. She was very good at that.' Ms. Rourke was organizing a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, inspired by her mom, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Her community is making sure the June tournament to raise funds for breast cancer research will proceed as the teenager had envisioned. Danica Baker's volleyball club team has been celebrating her this week. Bluewater U17G Ballistix Boom has been posting photos and memories of the player they called Dani in her No. 11 jersey. 'Described by those who know her as, 'a true ray of light,' Danica's spirit lit up every room and every volleyball court she stepped on to. Words cannot express how saddened we are for the loss of this wonderful soul,' read their Instagram post. Meanwhile in Owen Sound, the Jr. B Northstars lacrosse team has dedicated the rest of its season to its assistant coach, saying Mr. Eckert 'cared about our group more than words can describe.' The team has asked supporters to pack its Saturday game and wear Northstars jerseys in support of Mr. Eckert. He made a name for himself playing hockey and lacrosse in Owen Sound. In 2012, he won a Minto Cup, the Canadian Lacrosse Association's Junior A championship. He became a popular teacher, known for using his extra time to help kids. 'As a dedicated teacher and coach, Mat poured his energy, time, and enormous heart into shaping young lives,' reads his obituary. 'His math lessons were more than just numbers – they were moments of connection. In every sport he took on, he brought the same passion and purpose, using coaching as another way to teach life skills, build confidence, and foster teamwork.'
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
Ontario teacher and 4 teens killed in crash to be remembered at funerals this weekend
Funeral services will be held this weekend in several midwestern Ontario communities for the five victims of a multi-vehicle collision that sent shock waves of grief across the region. Four teenage girls from Walkerton District Community School were travelling home with their teacher last Friday afternoon after a softball tournament east of London, Ont., when they were involved in a crash with a transport truck. Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, Danica Baker, Olivia Rourke and Mat Eckert were killed. Their deaths were acknowledged across Canada, including by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who wrote that it was an "unimaginable loss that no family, no classmate, no school should ever have to endure." Ontario Provincial Police said Thursday that they are continuing to investigate what happened on the rural road where a two-way stop intersects with a busier highway. Memorial announcements posted this week offered a window into the lives of the young women who are being remembered for their love of sport, their many "best friends," and the care they felt for their siblings and cousins. "Our world was forever changed on Friday, May 23, 2025, when our beloved Kaydance Lynne Ford passed away suddenly at just 16 years old," wrote the Ford family, who said their daughter excelled in athletics and in shop classes at school. Rowen's favourite colour was pink, and her family asked people to wear it on Sunday at the Chesley arena for a memorial. That small town, north of Walkerton in Bruce County, will be the site of two funerals, with a gathering Saturday at the Chesley ball diamond to remember Kaydance. Earlier on Saturday, a joint service for Olivia and Danica will be held at the Walkerton Community Centre. Olivia's family remembers her as a light in their lives, "full of kindness, laughter, dance, song and love," they wrote in a statement. "Her absence leaves a void that will never be filled and always remembered." Hundreds of people lit candles and marked a moment of silence at a vigil outside of the school in the days following the crash, with many people expressing the importance of being together to grieve. "It's an incredibly deep, deep scar this has inflicted on our community. It's going to take a long time to heal," said Chris Peabody, the mayor of Brockton, which includes Walkerton. Teacher remembered While students at the school where the teens attended are receiving grief counselling, staff too mourned a colleague they said brought laughter to the staff room and "whose presence made a difference." Eckert, 33, was not only a teacher and a coach, his family said, but someone whose dedication to service was apparent in everything he did. "His math lessons were more than just numbers — they were moments of connection. He took the time to truly see his students and athletes, often using his lunch breaks to build relationships, offer encouragement, and remind others of their worth," his family wrote. Known to his friends as "Ecky," some hung orange NorthStar lacrosse team shirts, where he was a coach, on their front porch. His funeral will be held on Sunday at an Owen Sound high school, where his family suggested we would have wanted people to wear "sweatpants tucked into socks and cozy footwear." To mark the teenagers' interest in sports, three families asked that donations be made to various local teams, including aerial gymnastics, broomball, minor hockey and baseball. The Ford family had also set up a bursary at the Walkerton school in Danica's name.
Toronto Star
6 days ago
- Toronto Star
‘A light in our lives': Online tributes honour Walkerton crash victims
Kaydance Ford. A superstar in her school's athletics and shop programs. Danica Baker. Smart, bright and talented with a beautiful smile. Rowan McLeod. No. 77 on the broomball rink. The comic relief, hug and kindness her teammates needed. Olivia Rourke. Full of kindness, laughter, dance and song. Mathew Eckert. A dedicated coach and teacher who poured his energy into shaping young lives. As police continue their investigation into a deadly Southwestern Ontario crash, families of the five young people who were killed have released obituaries honouring their lives. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The four teenage girls — Rourke, McLeod, Ford and Baker — were students at Walkerton District Secondary School. Eckert, 33, was a teacher and their softball coach. They were travelling home to Walkerton from a softball tournament in Dorchester, near London, when their vehicle collided with a transport truck and another SUV at Thorndale and Cobble Hills Roads around 4:30 p.m. last Friday. Three girls died at the scene; the fourth teen and Eckert died in hospital. The drivers of the transport truck and second SUV, as well as one passenger, sustained minor injuries. The crash has left Walkerton — a community of nearly 6,000 people northwest of Toronto — and the surrounding region reeling, prompting an outpouring of sympathies and support from across the country. On Wednesday, the victims' loved ones shared online tributes and funeral details. Kaydance Ford, 16 Kaydance Ford, 16, was among those killed in Friday's crash in Dorchester, Ont. Rhody Family Funeral Home Kaydance Ford was a 'proud and loving big sister' to her two siblings and a cherished daughter who will be 'profoundly missed,' her family wrote. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW She will also be deeply missed by her boyfriend and his family, the obituary said. 'Kaydance excelled in athletics and the shop programs,' her family wrote. They are asking for expressions of sympathies to be made in the form of donations to her school's sports and shop programs. A celebration of life will be held on the Chelsey Ball Diamond on Saturday, where friends and family will exchange memories of her. Casual, just 'as Kaydance would want it,' they wrote. Danica Baker, 16 Danica Baker died on Friday just outside London, when an SUV she was travelling in collided with a transport truck, which police say then crashed into another SUV. Cameron Funeral Home Ltd. A beloved daughter and sister, Baker was a swimmer, volleyball and softball player. Those who knew her described her in tribute posts as a smart, bright and 'very talented athlete' with a 'beautiful smile and soul.' The Hanover Swim Club said in a post online that its members were heartbroken over Baker's death. 'Your spirit, strength and smile will always be part of our team.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW On the volleyball court, Baker wore No. 11. To her teammates and coaches, she was a 'true ray of light,' the Bluewater Ballistix Volleyball Club said in a tribute post. 'Danica's spirit lit up every room and every volleyball court she stepped on to,' the club said. According to her obituary, a joint funeral service for Baker and Rourke will be held on Saturday at the Walkerton Community Centre. A memorial bursary will be established in her name, her family said, adding that they would appreciate any donations to the Bluewater District School Board Charitable Trust. Rowan McLeod, 17 Rowan McLeod, one of the crash victims, was a softball and broomball player. Rhody Family Funeral Home Rowan McLeod, 17, was the 'comic relief, the hug, the smile, the laugh, the kindness,' and 'the sass' to the teammates and coaches who made up her broomball family. In a tribute post on Facebook, the Junior Young Guns Broomball U20 team said they would never be the same without her. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'You have left us with so many memories, you will be forever missed and never forgotten,' the post says. Like Ford, McLeod was also a member of the Tara Twins Minor Softball U18 team. She is being fondly remembered by her parents, three siblings, extended family and best friends, her loved ones wrote. A time of remembrance will be held at the Chelsey Arena on Sunday, followed by a celebration of life. Participants are encouraged to wear pink — McLeod's favourite colour — and donate to Tara Twins Minor Softball, Kilsyth U20 Young Guns Broomball or the Township of Chatsworth and District Minor Hockey Association. 'Rowan was passionate about sports, so in lieu of flowers please consider supporting one of three organizations that were a big part of her sporting life,' her family said. Olivia Rourke, 17 Olivia Rourke, 17, was one of four high school students who died last Friday in a car crash outside London, Ont. Their softball coach, Mathew Eckert, also died. Bluewater District School Board Rourke had many talents, excelling not only in softball but basketball and gymnastics. In a statement released through her school earlier this week, Rourke's family described her as 'a light in our lives – full of kindness, laughter, dance, song and love.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Her absence, they wrote, leaves a void that will never be filled. 'No words can capture the depth of our sorrow or the pain we are experiencing as a family.' One of three children, Rourke grew up attending Hanover Aerials Gymnastics, first taking recreational classes and later becoming a competitive gymnast. During the pandemic, she switched to coaching. She shined as a leader and 'had a way of making everyone feel important,' the club's executive director, Brenda Jolly, previously told the Star. 'Anytime she was in the gym, she was quite happy.' In her obituary, Rourke's family asked that any donations in her name be made to the gymnastics club or her school's athletics programs. Mathew Eckert, 33 Mathew Eckert. NorthStars Jr B Lacrosse Born in Hamilton, Eckert was a cherished member of the Owen Sound community. He was a 'brilliant, funny, and compassionate soul' who lived with a 'heart wide open,' his loved ones wrote. He found his calling in teaching and coaching — a 'life purpose that brought him immeasurable joy,' they said. Whether he was cracking a joke in the staff room at school or encouraging a shy student in the hallway, Eckert's presence made a difference. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW With students, he went 'above and beyond' to ensure they felt seen and supported, the obituary said. 'His life, though heartbreakingly short, leaves a lasting impact on innumerable lives — a ripple effect of goodness that will continue for generations.' A visitation for Eckert is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, followed by a celebration of life on Sunday. Because of his advocacy for mental health awareness and passion for sports, his family asks that donations be made to the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce or Owen Sound Minor Lacrosse. 'Though we are shattered by his loss, we hold tightly to the joy he brought into the world,' the obituary said. 'Rest easy, Coach Ecky. You mattered, you made a difference, and you are deeply missed.'
CBC
26-05-2025
- CBC
Hundreds mourn outside school in Walkerton, Ont., for students, coach killed in crash
The southwestern Ontario town of Walkerton continues to mourn the loss of five people killed last week in a multi-vehicle crash outside London, Ont.: Olivia Rourke, Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, Danica Baker and Matt Eckert.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Beloved coach and four schoolgirls killed in horror crash on way home from softball tournament in Canada
A beloved coach and four schoolgirls tragically died in a horror crash involving a tractor-trailer while on their way home from a softball tournament in Canada. The fatal collision occurred Friday around 4.30pm while Matt Eckert, 33, a coach and teacher at Walkerton District Community School, and four teenage girls, Olivia Rourke, Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, and Danica Baker were traveling back home to Walkerton - a town in Ontario. They were headed back after the 27th annual Girls' High School Invitational Slo-Pitch Tournament in Dorchester when their SUV crashed into the tractor, according to police. Their vehicle was then struck by a second SUV, according to the Ontario Provincial Police. Authorities are still investigating what caused the horrific accident. Two 17-year-old girls and a 16-year-old died at the scene, while another 16-year-old and Eckert were taken to the hospital where they later died of their injuries, police said. The tractor-trailer driver and two people inside the other SUV suffered minor injuries. Although police have not officially identified the four teen girls who died, the Tara Twins U18 girls softball team, along with friends and loved ones, did, per CTV News. 'Tara Twins have lost two of our own in the tragic accident Friday near Dorchester,' the softball league wrote on Facebook. 'Rowan McLeod and Kaydance Ford were members of our U18 girls team, coached by Rowan's father Mike McLeod. Our entire Twins family is reeling from this loss, and our hearts go out to the families, friends and teammates of these beautiful athletes.' Eckert was not only a school coach, but was also an assistant coach with the Owen Sound Junior B Northstars Lacrosse Club. 'Our organization is heartbroken and crushed to lose an important member of our family. Matt connected with our players on a level that is indescribable,' Ethan Woods, the general manager of the lacrosse club, wrote. 'His infectious smile and caring heart are things that will never be forgotten. We love you so much Ecky.' Since the tragic incident, the mourning community has come together to pay their respects to the five lives lost. A slew of flowers have been placed outside the school and flags have been lowered to half-mast. Several residents also placed running shoes on their porches and left the lights on in honor of the victims and their families. Jasmine Hunter, 16, was one of those who came to the school to pay her respects. She does not attend the high school but did have Eckert as a math teacher in the past. 'He was a great teacher. Like even if kids were being not good, he'd get them in trouble, but he'd do it in, like, a fun way,' Hunter told CBC. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Keegan Padfield, left a pair of boots outside along with other neighbors. 'He was a really nice guy,' he said of Eckert. 'He likes to make a lot of jokes, and he's always really nice with the students.' Not only did he have a relationship with the late teacher, but also knew the four girls who lost their lives. 'When I first started out in Grade 9, they were all really supportive and helping everybody improve,' he said of the teenagers. On Sunday, the community gathered outside the school for a vigil to pay their respects to Eckert, Rourke, McLeod, Ford, and Baker. Jamie Petit, a spokesperson with the Bluewater District School Board called the entire ordeal a 'time of unimaginable grief' for everyone. 'It's certainly left a huge void here within the community, and it's something that's going to linger for a long, long time, even beyond the initial grief stage,' Pettit added. Jane Thompson, the board chair and Lori Wilder, the director of education, also spoke out about the horrible loss. 'We recognize that many individuals in other communities across Bluewater also have close connections with those lost in this tragedy, and their families. It is important to acknowledge how this tragedy is impacting them as well. We are all here to support one another,' they said in a joint statement.
