"You're doing something as simple as making dinner...and dinner for them will never be the same."
The news of the worst mass murder in Canadian history has sent shockwaves around the world as the horrific acts that transpired in Nova Scotia continue to be revealed.
As the planet continues to struggle with a viral pandemic, Nova Scotia now has to deal with more questions after a gunman left a trail of crime scenes between Saturday (April 18) and Sunday (April 19).
Reports indicate that the RCMP searched for the suspect from late Saturday night into Sunday morning before he was intercepted at a gas station where he was shot and killed. The gunman travelled more than 150 kilometres along rural roads and highways in Nova Scotia, claiming the lives of at least 22 victims while torching properties and police vehicles in his path. As the investigation continues, the count of lives taken could increase.
Of those 22 victims, none of the first 18 identified were directly connected to the harness racing industry in terms of involvement but in a setting like Colchester County the impact is definitely felt by members of the province's harness racing community. People in harness racing were only metres away from the gunman whose acts of violence were not only senseless, but seemingly random.
"He drove right by the driveway to the farm," Robyn Crowe, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Harness Racing Industry Association, told Trot Insider. "And we had two families that were on our son's hockey team that were impacted."
The families that Crowe knew through hockey were that of Lisa McCully and Jamie & Greg Blair. Lisa's son played hockey with the Crowe's son Brennan this past year, while in the two years prior Brennan was on the same team as Jamie & Greg's son.
"It's hit very close to home and it could have been any of us. And the more details we're getting on this, the more horrific it is," stated Crowe. "Mothers that I was selling 50/50 with at the hockey rink not that long ago, that this happened to her. Thinking of those two little boys, Darren tied their skates."
Making this entire process all the more difficult and complex is the current COVID-19 pandemic, where the Premier of Nova Scotia -- like most provincial leaders -- has asked people to stay at home. Canadians across the country have shown support for Nova Scotia with displays of candles and tartans, and on Monday there were numerous photos posted to social media displaying what Crowe called "the most beautiful sunset" while residents of Colchester County lit candles on their front steps.
"The pictures that are coming out of that are quite touching, seeing everyone coming together despite the times we're in where we really can't be together."
The population of Portapique is no more than 200 people, higher during the summer when it's cottage season. Truro itself sports around 13,000 residents. So the chances of people being impacted either directly or indirectly by actions like these in a vicinity like this are rather high.
"The area that this has impacted is very small and everyone's connected in some way. Every single person has some way of saying they knew so-and-so or they have a relative that knew someone. It's been a tough thing for people to comprehend that it's real."
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to those affected by the tragedy in Nova Scotia.