Communities in mourning after tragic deaths

The communities of Eastend and Ravenscrag were shaken to the core last week after a tragic accident claimed the lives of two young brothers.

The boys, aged 10 and 16, died after their tractor towing a baler crashed near Ravenscrag.

“Tragic and unbelievable . . . there really are no words to describe it,” said Eastend mayor Alan Howard, who has known the family for years.

“They were two extraordinary young boys who were full of life,” he added. “They were involved in everything at school and through extracurricular programs, whether it was sports, 4-H or other activities. The entire family is very active in the community.”

The same family also lost another son to an ATV accident  in 2008. The boy, who was the older brother of the young men killed on Wednesday, was just 14 years old at the time of the incident.

“It is impossible for anyone to imagine what the family is going through,” sighed Howard.

Howard says the entire community is in shock over the incident.

“I think everyone is just in disbelief – no one can believe this has happened,” he stated.

The family is well known in the area and the boys were beloved friends and classmates.

The Eastend School was opened on Thursday and counsellors were on hand to help the boys’ friends deal with their grief.

Counsellors were also on hand to help ambulance workers and volunteer firefighters – many of whom knew the family and the boys – who responded to the scene.

According to RCMP, the accident happened at just after 8 p.m. on Wednesday when the boys were driving a tractor down a gravel road, towing a baler.

As they travelled east down a hill, the tractor went into a deep, rough ditch.

The 10-year-old boy was thrown from the tractor, then the vehicle fell into a ravine and his brother was ejected.

Both boys were found dead at the scene.

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