In Memoriam: David Kreiner-Vaillancourt

Student David Kreiner-Vaillancourt, 25, died March 10 as the result of an accident at Mount Adstock in Thetford Mines, Que. He was free skiing before a tournament with his team.

Three days later, his friends and family came together to share their sorrow in the seminar room of the Department of Geography, Planning and the Environment, where he was a student. He would have graduated this spring.

Director of Recreation and Athletics Katie Sheahan described it as “a very rich experience to be part of.” More than 200 members of the Concordia and McGill ski teams, faculty members, fellow students, friends and family crowded into the seminar room. Some of them stood patiently in the hall, unable to hear the spontaneous tributes and stories but unwilling to leave.

The gathering took place because of David’s mother, former ski champion Laurie Kreiner. She, her husband Ron Vaillancourt and David’s brother had driven Saturday night from Timmins, Ont., to the hospital in Quebec City. His sister flew in from Western university. At the hospital David’s life support was finally removed. His organs were donated to five other people.

Annie Pollack-McKenna, Department Administrator in Geography, said David’s mother felt she couldn’t go back to Timmins without meeting his friends and fellow skiers. Annie made arrangements for the seminar room, flowers, food, a frame for his student ID photo to give his family, and two memorial books, which were filled with signatures.

“It was an occasion unlike any other,” Sheahan said afterwards. “The family was so open and loving. It was a wonderfully healing event.”

Athletics made sure 15 members of the ski team were able to go to Timmins for the funeral on March 20, after competing in their last meet of the season, which his family said David would have wanted.