In memory of those who "died suddenly" in Canada, Jamaica, Haiti, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and Peru, June 7-June 13
A high school coach, a lawyer and an activist schoolgirl in Canada; a school bus driver in Brazil; a strange drowning in Peru; and a TENTH schoolteacher has "died suddenly" in Jamaica this past month
CANADA
Pioneers High School in mourning for "Coach Jimmy"
June 6, 2022
École Secondaire des Pionniers in Trois-Rivières is mourning the death of one of its physical education teachers, Jimmy Thompson. Nicknamed "Coach Jimmy", the 56-year-old man died suddenly this weekend. He will have left his mark with several hundred students during his career.
At school, no one had seen coming the death of this man who was greatly appreciated by students and staff. It's a shock wave. The announcement of this news shook our whole school, said Jonathan Bradley, director of the Secondary School of the Pioneers on Monday on the program Toujours le matin.
Mr. Thompson was due to retire within months, according to Mr. Bradley. Also, the death occurs at the end of the school year, a crucial moment for the success of the students.
No cause of death reported.
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1888892/deces-jimmy-thompson-ecole-football
A mysterious accident:
Young driver dies in head-on collision in Rimouski
June 12, 2022
A young driver lost his life Saturday night in a head-on collision on Highway 20 in Rimouski.
According to preliminary information from the Sûreté du Québec, around 9:30 p.m. the man’s vehicle deviated from its lane and collided with a heavy truck going in the opposite direction. Authorities do not have an explanation for why the westbound vehicle suddenly wound up in the other lane.
The vehicle’s driver, a man in his 20s, died in the collision. The driver the truck was hospitalized with injuries that are not life threatening, said SQ spokesperson Stéphane Tremblay.
https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/young-driver-dies-in-head-on-collision-in-rimouski
Labrador Iron Mines Announces Death of Vice-Chairman and Director
June 8, 2022
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - It is with great sadness that Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited (OTC Pink: LBRMF) (the "Company") announces that D. William (Bill) Hooley, Vice-Chairman and Non-Executive Director of the Company, passed away suddenly on June 7, 2022.
On behalf of the Board, Chairman John Kearney said "We are deeply saddened to hear of the untimely passing of our colleague and friend Bill Hooley. As the Company's President from 2007 to 2011, Bill directed the initial development and successful construction, into commercial production, of LIM's James iron ore mine in Labrador and subsequently continued to provide valued advice and experience to the Company and the Board as Vice-Chairman."
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/labrador-iron-mines-announces-death-171700893.html
Prominent Kingston lawyer remembered as devoted father, elite athlete
June 7, 2022
Kevin Dunbar, called to the bar in 2009, has been described by his closest friends as an incredibly kind person, a devoted father and a lawyer who always found a way to connect with his clients. “He’s the guy who jumps in when there’s a crunch. He’s the best friend you could have, the most helpful colleague. … Everyone says things like this when someone dies, but this is the truth about this guy,” Sean Ellacott said Monday afternoon.
“He and Liz had built this great little family unit. He loved her and his kids so much. He was highly valued by friends and colleagues for all the different things he did. They’re sort of showing that now because there are more people willing to help at this point than is even possible to assign things to … the outpouring has been unbelievable.”
Dunbar, husband to Liz and father to Maggie and Ciara, died suddenly of heart-related issues at home on Sunday morning. He was 47.
In addition to numerous local lawyers reaching out to help wind down Dunbar’s private practice, tributes to the Brockville native have been posted online. Youth Diversion called him a strong supporter of their efforts, and the John Howard Society said he was an integral part of the Kingston defence bar.
Fellow criminal lawyer and federal Crown Jordan Tekenos-Levy explained Dunbar handled cases from Belleville to Brockville, and it was almost as if he was always at court. He said Dunbar’s clients were keen to put on the record that he was their lawyer.
“‘My lawyer is Kevin Dunbar. He’ll be here,’ and Kevin would surely show up,” Tekenos-Levy said. “He was always a professional, dealing with the Crown, dealing with the judge, dealing with problematic or clients with mental health issues. He was just a wizard at bringing people down to earth and helping them realize the objectives were in the circumstances.”
Dunbar was also an elite athlete who competed in running events nearly all his life.
Young girl who petitioned for Guelph’s first rainbow crosswalk dies suddenly in sleep
June 9, 2022
A young girl from Guelph is being remembered for her work as a community champion after she passed away suddenly in her sleep earlier this week.
Twelve-year-old Mattea Sommerville was known in the community for starting a movement to see the first rainbow crosswalk in the city.
"Mattea was the kindest sweetest girl you’d ever know,” said relative Kallia Mansour. “Her parents refer to her as an old soul with the kindest heart. We all look at her and hope that one day our kids can be as good as her.”
Mattea died unexpectedly in her sleep a few days later. An autopsy has been schedule to determine the cause of death.
https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/young-girl-who-petitioned-for-guelph-s-first-rainbow-crosswalk-dies-suddenly-in-sleep-1.5940795
Sudden Death Investigation After Someone Was Found Unresponsive In A Vehicle At A Farm
June 10, 2022
A sudden death in Norfolk County. Early Thursday morning, emergency crews were dispatched to a farm on Concession 12 of Townsend. At the farm, they found a 42-year-old unresponsive in a vehicle the property. They were taken to hospital but were pronounced deceased.
No further information about the individual was provided, but the Ministry of Labour is investigating.
https://www.norfolktoday.ca/2022/06/10/sudden-death-investigation/
JAMAICA
A tenth schoolteacher has “died suddenly” this past month:
Another Clarendon school mourns as Jamaica loses 10 teachers in one month
June 12, 2022
The Pleasant Valley Primary and Infant School in Clarendon is mourning the passing of Yasmin Gordon, the tenth teacher to die in Jamaica since May 11. Gordon, who worked in the infant department, died on Saturday morning. She had been ailing for some time, The Gleaner understands.
Director of Region 7 within the Ministry of Education and Youth, Barrington Richardson, said the team is saddened at Gordon's death. "It is never business as usual when we lose a colleague - a fellow educator who is making a difference in the lives of our students," Richardson said.
Recounting the deaths of several educators over the last few weeks, Richardson said the region has been pushing lifestyle changes among teachers because "our health is our business and also it is our wealth".
"We also have been encouraging all our principals to deliberately include health and wellness sessions, functions and activities that will treat with the psychosocial needs of all categories of staff," he said.
Gordon, a mother of 5 children, was a past student of the Catholic College of Mandeville, Manchester.
At least 10 teachers have died in the last four weeks, some of them suddenly. Jamaica Teachers' Association President Winston Smith has urged his colleague educators to make taking care of themselves a priority.
No age or cause of death reported.
HAITI
Haitian national dies at Detention Centre in Providenciales [Turks and Caicos]
June 10, 2022
Police are investigating the circumstances under which a Haitian national at the Detention Centre in Providenciales suddenly died. At about 2:08 pm on Monday, June 6, police said they were notified that a woman (no name provided) at the holding facility was experiencing distress and appeared unresponsive. She was subsequently transported to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre where she was later pronounced dead by a doctor.
A full-scale investigation has since been launched by officers of the Serious Crimes Unit to determine the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death. At press time, no further update was provided as to the woman’s cause of death.
No age reported.
https://tcweeklynews.com/haitian-national-dies-at-detention-centre-in-providenciales-p12490-127.htm
BRAZIL
School bus driver dies on BR-262
June 10, 2022
A 60-year-old school bus driver died on the BR-262 in Nova Serrana on Thursday night (9). According to the Fire Department, passengers on the bus said the driver suddenly became ill while driving. At first, the call received by the corporation was to respond to a crash between a bus and a truck. When the military arrived at the scene, they saw the school bus driver on the floor of the highway.
A medical team from Triunfo Concebra, the concessionaire that manages the road, was at the scene and confirmed the death. The Civil Police and the Federal Highway Police (PRF) were at the scene. After the routine work, the driver's body was taken over by the funeral home.
No cause of death reported.
https://www.santanafm.com.br/motorista-de-onibus-escolar-morre-na-br-262/
BOLIVIA
Man dies of a heart attack in Tangamanga Park
June 9, 2022
The governor of Potosí confirmed that the man was on a treadmill when he died of a sudden stroke.
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection of San Luis Potosí announced that a 52-year-old man died inside the Tangamanga I Park.
According to the first reports, the man went to exercise in the high-performance gym area and after a while he began to feel bad and collapsed; At first it was speculated that a heart attack was the cause of his death and finally the governor of Potosí confirmed it.
At the scene he received first aid, however, the paramedics were unable to get him out of unemployment, so he was declared dead. The State Attorney General's Office was notified and the support of the Expert Services staff was requested for the corresponding proceedings.
https://sanluis.eluniversal.com.mx/metropoli/muere-hombre-de-un-infarto-en-el-parque-tangamanga-l
CHILE
A 74-year-old woman dies in the commune of Palmilla, minutes after receiving Pfizer booster
Tweeted June 7, 2022:
PERU
A mysterious drowning:
Áncash: Crew member of Jadranka vessel dies in the middle of work
June 9, 2022
Through an official statement, the fishing company confirmed the death of Santiago Rosales Medina, 46 years old, from the fishing area outside Pacasmayo, 50 miles from the coast.
The deceased was a ring keeper of the fishing ship and apparently at the time of the cove, at dawn, he suddenly fell into the water and drowned. "When they rescued him and got on the boat he had already died," indicated a very reliable source from the fishing company. “The unfortunate event occurred accidentally during the fishing task on June 7, at approximately 4:26 am, when our worker was on board the Jadranka B vessel performing his duties corresponding to the crew position within of the aforementioned vessel (winchero/anillero).”
https://exitosanoticias.pe/v1/ancash-tripulante-de-embarcacion-jadranka-fallece-en-plena-faena/
couldn't help but notice this: ".Jamaica Teachers' Association President Winston Smith has urged his colleague educators to make taking care of themselves a priority."