Teammates and fellow students are mourning the loss of a 17-year-old who died Nov. 14 in a highway collision near Pancake Bay.
Colin Desmoulin, a St. Mary’s College hockey player, was dealing with the grief of recently losing his grandfather, said assistant coach Frank Medaglia.
“I think the game he got a chance to play in yesterday gave him a bit of a distraction that was needed for him. He was very happy during the game and after when I last spoke to him,” said Medaglia.
After yesterday’s game against Superior Heights, Desmoulin had dinner with the team at McDonalds before driving up the highway to attend his grandfather’s funeral in Pic River.
Driving a pick-up truck, police say Desmoulin was killed in a head-on collision with a semi tractor trailer on Highway 17 near Pancake Bay Provincial Park.
Cindy Sawyer, principal of St. Mary’s College, said it has been a tough day for everybody.
Three grief counsellors were brought into the school today, Sawyer said, to complement the two counsellors assigned to the school.
A special prayer was played over the school’s public announcement system and the chapel is open to any student who needs it.
“This is where being a Catholic school is really helpful. We can help the kids to channel their grief through a faith-based approach,” said Sawyer.
In addition, a smudge ceremony was performed in the school’s cultural room to honour Colin’s First Nations heritage.
Medaglia said the hockey team took part in the ceremony.
“We’re a band of brothers. The season is just starting off, but there’s no doubt he left a huge impact on this team and everyone is very saddened by the news. We’re trying our best to cope with this tragedy,” said Medaglia.
He said players are already planning to honour the loss of their teammate with a patch on their jerseys or helmets in his memory.
Medaglia said the team has been overwhelmed by the support shown by other schools, in particular the Superior Heights team they played yesterday.
“It’s touching to see it has extended past the hockey brotherhood. We lost a good boy,” said Medaglia.
