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Tributes are pouring in for a mother of two killed when a plane crashed into her vehicle along a Prince George road last week.
Alex Garneau has been identified as the victim in the incident, which saw a twin-engine Beech King Air 200 touch down on Foothills Boulevard, crashing through three lanes of traffic and hitting four vehicles.
Garneau was involved in many aspects of the community, particularly through sports where she was an athlete, coach and volunteer, particularly for the teams of her two school-aged children.
In an online fundraiser set up to support her family, Garneau is described as “a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend and the hockey mom,” who made everyone feel like they belong.
“She was the kind of person who was behind the scenes of almost every team and activity her kids were part of,” the fundraiser reads. “She made the drive. She organized. She cheered. She made things happen. Her children are both incredible people and hockey players, and she had big dreams for them and the lives they will lead.”
Similar sentiments have been expressed in posts across social media from organizations she was involved in.
“There are some people who become such a familiar part of the rink that it’s hard to imagine being there without them. Alex Garneau was one of those people,” wrote the Cariboo Cougars minor hockey club, describing her as “infectiously positive and always, always smiling” and “insanely creative.”
The Prince George Youth Volleyball Club described her as having a “lasting impact on the sport of volleyball in Prince George,” starting as a high school player who joined Team B.C. before going on to play at a varsity level at North Vancouver’s Capilano University. After moving back to Prince George, she became a coach for the club.
“She will be remembered for her smile, her laugh and how good she made those around her feel,” the post says.
The fundraiser raised more than $100,000 within two days of going live, with organizers saying the money will go directly to Garneau’s family.
Investigation ongoing
Meanwhile, the investigation into what caused her death is ongoing. According to the Transportation Safety Board (TSB), the plane made an emergency landing after losing power on one of its two engines.
The plane itself has been towed off the road and is currently in a nearby gravel pit under the supervision of the TSB, which has taken control of the investigation.
The TSB says the plane was destined for the Prince George Airport from the remote Sturdee Airstrip.
Eight people were on board: two pilots and six passengers, some of whom have been identified as resource workers. No one on board was injured.
The plane was registered to Sekani Air Ltd., an industry charter flight company based in Prince George, which has declined to comment.
Former TSB investigator Bill Yearwood said one of his key questions is what caused the plane to come down, given it is supposed to be able to fly on a single engine.
He said he suspected other factors were at play, and emphasized that pilots are trained to react in split-seconds to emergency situations and that sometimes “there’s no easy choice.”
“You’re going down, you can’t waste time choosing a spot and if there are few spots, you’re stuck with those,” he said.
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