Kelowna crane collapse victims identified
Posted July 13, 2021 1:27 pm.
Last Updated July 13, 2021 9:31 pm.
KELOWNA (NEWS 1130) – Two online fundraisers have been set up to help the families of men who were killed when a construction crane in Kelowna collapsed Monday morning.
Brothers Eric and Patrick Stemmer have been identified on a GoFundMe page as two of the four men confirmed dead after the crane fell.
“These men are husbands, fathers, sons, friends and chosen family to so many, this sudden loss is nothing short of heartbreaking,” reads fundraiser, created by Emily Roy of Salmon Arm.
“So much has changed in such a short time span and [their wives] are bravely tackling grief and figuring everything out as they go. We need to be there for them and support them in this time of tragedy and loss.”
The money will go to supporting the families as they grieve the loss of their loved ones.
“Money doesn’t fix anything, however it can provide support and self care that these women are in need of,” the page states.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the fundraiser had raised over $30,000.
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Another GoFundMe page has identified Jared Zook as another victim of the crane collapse. According to the page, his parents live in the Edmonton area.
“Our family is devastated by the loss of our fun, kind and loving son/brother/friend/nephew/cousin/husband,” reads the fundraiser, organized by Christa Walker of Sylvan Lake, Alberta.
The money raised from that fundraiser is aimed at helping cover funeral costs, as well as lost wages and travel expenses for Jared’s parents.
By Tuesday afternoon, $15,000 had been raised for that GoFundMe.
Cailen Vilness has also been identified as one of the men killed in the crane collapse. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support his family with funeral and travel costs.
“Cailen was a prince of a man, and our family is devastated by the loss of our beloved son, boyfriend, brother, nephew, and grandson. He lived life to the fullest and enjoyed spending as much time as possible with his family,” it reads.
“Only 23, he had his whole life ahead of him and was getting ready to spend the rest of his life with the woman of his dreams.”
One family member posted about his passing on Facebook.
Another family member also posted about their loss on Facebook.
“Words can not describe our shattering hearts,” the post reads. “He went to work and wasn’t given the chance to come home.”
People are being asked to donate cards in Cailen’s memory.
On Tuesday, RCMP confirmed four people were killed and a fifth was also believed dead after the crane collapsed in Downtown Kelowna Monday morning.
Mounties say all of the confirmed victims were men and associated with the construction site. Three died at the scene and the other succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.
The man who is presumed dead is believed to be buried in the rubble.
“Yesterday was a tragic day,” RCMP Insp. Adam MacIntosh said Tuesday. “To see all those workers standing there and knowing that they had just lost some of their friends and coworkers, and to see the families and what they were dealing with, I can only imagine what they’re going through.”
Related video: Multiple people feared dead after crane collapse in Kelowna
Mission Group, the developer of the 28-storey building under construction where the crane collapsed, called it a “catastrophic failure.” The developer also confirmed the crane fell during the dismantling process, but could not provide more details. The company’s CEO said Monday that the incident was “tragic.”
Several buildings in the area were damaged and the area was evacuated.
B.C. Premier John Horgan addressed the collapse on Tuesday.
“It’s obviously tragic. When people go to work in the morning, they expect to be able to come home in the evening. It’s just a very sad day for those families that have been affected, as well as all of the people in Kelowna, and I wanted to acknowledge that. On behalf of the province, that our thoughts are with the people in Kelowna,” Horgan said.
With files from Hana Mae Nassar and Nikitha Martins
