Natalie White has a wound that will never heal.
Her 19-year-old son was killed in a motorcycle accident two years ago and White says the loss still fills her with a numbing pain that will never go away.
The Langley City mother has been waiting since then to find out the details of what actually happened in the accident.
WhiteB次元官网网址檚 son died June 20, 2018 when his motorcycle collided with an SUV on 181A Street at the 61B Avenue intersection.
But in the ensuing court case, a stay of proceedings was entered and the case never went to trial. With no court hearing, White said, the family was denied closure, with no opportunity to hear the driverB次元官网网址檚 account of the event, and whether he had any regrets to express.
White had always wanted to hear from the other driver, to find out what happened and to help her find some closure.
What White didnB次元官网网址檛 know was the other driver was desperate to find some closure too.
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When White reached out in early June in an effort to contact the other driver, that driver, Johnny Forrest was thankful.
B次元官网网址淲hen I saw that article in the Cloverdale Reporter, it made my day,B次元官网网址� said Forrest, a Cloverdale resident. B次元官网网址淪he showed compassion toward me. I wanted to find some closure as well.B次元官网网址�
White and Forrest finally got that closure when they met just days before the two-year anniversary of AndrewB次元官网网址檚 death.
B次元官网网址淐an I give you a hug?B次元官网网址� White asked, tears streaming down her cheeks.
B次元官网网址淚 wanted to do this two years ago,B次元官网网址� Forrest replied, as the two embraced. B次元官网网址淔or me this is closure too. I wanted to show you some compassion and love. I canB次元官网网址檛 thank you enough.B次元官网网址�
Forrest and White met in the common room of WhiteB次元官网网址檚 complex.
B次元官网网址淚 wanted you to know that I donB次元官网网址檛 blame you,B次元官网网址� said White.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never been the same,B次元官网网址� Forrest said, his thick Scottish accent muffled underneath a facemask. B次元官网网址淓ver since then, I canB次元官网网址檛 go on that road anymore.B次元官网网址�
Forrest expressed his B次元官网网址渄eepest regretsB次元官网网址� for what had happened that day and explained to White how he saw the crash unfold.
B次元官网网址淚 was taking my granddaughter home and I was making a left-hand turn,B次元官网网址� remembered Forrest, now 85. B次元官网网址淚 could see your son coming up the road and I says, B次元官网网址楤oy! HeB次元官网网址檚 a-movin.B次元官网网址� You know?B次元官网网址�
Forrest said he was stopped, waiting for Futerko to pass when ForrestB次元官网网址檚 granddaughter cried out, B次元官网网址淧apa John, his handlebars are wobbling.B次元官网网址�
ThatB次元官网网址檚 when Forrest said FuterkoB次元官网网址檚 bike changed course and collided head on with ForrestB次元官网网址檚 bumper.
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Forrest said he then did something he shouldnB次元官网网址檛 have. He said his granddaughter was screaming and he had to get her out of there.
B次元官网网址淚 reversed my car, went way back, and then around, and parked my car on the side road,B次元官网网址� he explained.
Forrest said the crash affected his heart and he had to get a heart valve replaced.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l never get over it,B次元官网网址� Forrest added.
The two talked a lot about the facts of the accident. White wondered about all the little details of the collision and everything that led up to it.
She kept wondering what B次元官网网址� if anything B次元官网网址� could have gone differently that day, or in those final moments, and changed the outcome of her sonB次元官网网址檚 life. What could have prevented him from being on that road at that precise instant? What minor thing could have altered his final moments and given Andrew more time?
B次元官网网址淗e had a lot on his mind that day,B次元官网网址� explained White. B次元官网网址淗is brain was elsewhere. He was supposed to go to grad that night with a girl and he cancelled on her.B次元官网网址�
White said Andrew had spoken with the girl just before the crash and had told her he would call her when he got home.
B次元官网网址淚 feel like he was probably thinking about that and not paying attention to the road.B次元官网网址�
White said the last two years have been very hard for her. She keeps little reminders of Andrew around because sheB次元官网网址檚 scared of losing precious memories. She has a locket with a picture of her and her son and she has his name tattooed on her arm. SheB次元官网网址檚 getting another tattoo June 20 of some artwork Andrew made when he was a little boy.
She said she didnB次元官网网址檛 go to the spot where Andrew died until a month after the accident.
White said many have tried to comfort her by telling her it was just an accident. But White said if she views it as an accident, she will just want to assign blame and that will make her angry.
B次元官网网址淚 do believe, 100 per cent, that that was his day,B次元官网网址� said White, choking back tears. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what I have to believe in my heart. Or else, the only other thing is to blame you B次元官网网址� or him. Or me for allowing him to ride that bike. I didnB次元官网网址檛 want him to ride that thing and I didnB次元官网网址檛 know how to stop him. I beat myself up every day about that.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭his is how IB次元官网网址檝e gotten my peace,B次元官网网址� White added, eeking out her words through tears. B次元官网网址淚 wanted to try to share that with you: that was his day.B次元官网网址�
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B次元官网网址淭hat dateB次元官网网址檚 gonna be in my head the rest of my life,B次元官网网址� said Forrest. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 like you. IB次元官网网址檓 trying to heal too and get over the shock of it. It was a shock!B次元官网网址� he exclaimed.
B次元官网网址淚 will never be the same person,B次元官网网址� Forrest added. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 trying to heal, but I never will because I was part of that tragic situation.B次元官网网址�
As White and Forrest conversed, they discovered that WhiteB次元官网网址檚 dad grew up in Scotland B次元官网网址� not far from where Forrest had grown up. (White subsequently passed along ForrestB次元官网网址檚 phone number to her father in Ontario and the two had a long chat about life and Scotland.)
And they talked about Andrew.
B次元官网网址淗e was a funny character. IB次元官网网址檇 love to show you some videos of him, if we can meet again,B次元官网网址� said White. B次元官网网址淲hen he was happy.B次元官网网址�
White shared that Andrew loved playing video games and he was a big practical joker. She said he played rugby and had gone to Scotland on a rugby tour in his senior year of high school at Lord Tweedsmuir.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think he cared too much about rugby,B次元官网网址� laughed White. B次元官网网址淚 think he just wanted to go on the trip. (Laughs again). I seriously think that.B次元官网网址�
White told Forrest that Andrew also played rugby because he loved his rugby coach, Tweedsmuir teacher Jamie Overgaard.
B次元官网网址淚f it wasnB次元官网网址檛 for Jamie B次元官网网址� in high school B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 know what would have become of my son,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hat man loved my boy and he gave him love and guidance. And my son was not an easy boy to deal with. He was a hard kid to handle, but he was a good kid. He was different. Jamie took a shine to him.B次元官网网址�
White said Overgaard had the idea to start a fundraiser in AndrewB次元官网网址檚 name. So they started the Esta Bueno Rugby Fundraiser. The fundraiser helps Grade 12 rugby players at Lord Tweedsmuir by offsetting costs for overseas rugby tours. (The third annual event will be held at CloverdaleB次元官网网址檚 Beaver Lodge sometime in the fall.)
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B次元官网网址淎t the first fundraiser, I thanked Jamie for loving my boy and he said thatB次元官网网址檚 why heB次元官网网址檚 a teacher, to be there for boys like mine.B次元官网网址�
White said when Andrew was in Grade 11 he also went on a rugby tour to Smith Falls, Ont.
B次元官网网址淢y parents live there and they got to see him play,B次元官网网址� said White. B次元官网网址淭hey normally wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have been able to see him play.B次元官网网址�
White said Andrew scored the winning try in one of the games and made it into the Smith Falls paper.
White added that it may seem strange, but she thinks thereB次元官网网址檚 a reason Andrew died on 181A Street.
B次元官网网址淭hat was AndrewB次元官网网址檚 route B次元官网网址� obviously he took it that day B次元官网网址� but he grew up on that street. He walked on that road. He rode a bicycle on that road. He learned to drive on that road. And he died on that road.
B次元官网网址淭hat road has so many memories. I feel like that road was at the heart of who he was.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址� with a file from Dan Ferguson.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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