A northwestern Saskatchewan family is struggling this week after two relatives were killed and another two injured in a tragic two-vehicle accident last Friday.
Eighteen-month-old Kinzey Angeline Iron-Couillonneur and 12-year-old Jerome Dylan Coulineur both died after the southbound truck they were passengers in slammed into a northbound ambulance.
A paramedic with Meadow Lake EMS also died as a result of the crash.
RCMP say they believe icy road conditions may have been a factor in the accident which happened on Hwy 155 about 18 kilometres south of Beauval.
Andrew Lariviere and Russell Morris, the two other occupants of the truck, are in Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon recovering from injuries.
Kinzey was Melissa Laliberte’s niece, Coulineur her cousin, Lariviere is her father and Morris her nephew.
She said the family has been trying to give her sister Alexa Lariviere-Laliberte, who is grieving the loss of her young daughter, as much support as possible.
“Well we’ve been with her the whole time,” she said. “She’s been with her significant other, the father of Kinzey, and her mother-in-law has been a great help with her too and been by their side since everything happened.”
Laliberte added the outpouring of support from northwestern communities has also been tremendous.
“There has been a lot of support from Beauval, from Jans Bay and surrounding communities,” she said. “The north just comes together when stuff like this happens.”
Various family members were on their way to celebrate a birthday in Edmonton when the accident happened, Laliberte said.
Jans Bay is a tiny northern hamlet of about 200 people.
A crowdfunding page has been set up to help the family with related costs.
(PHOTO: Alexa Lariviere-Laliberte seen here with her 15-month-old daughter Kinzey Angeline Iron-Couillonneur. Kinzey died as the result of a two-vehicle accident near Beauval on Friday. Photo courtesy Alexa Lariviere-Laliberte Facebook page.)