Canada mourns Dundee-born Charlene Reaveley
A Dundee-born woman was one of two women killed after being struck by an alleged hit-and-run driver in Canada.
Charlene Reaveley.
- By Andrew Argo
- Published in the Courier : 26.02.11
- Published online : 26.02.11 @ 08.13am
The tragedy has prompted a deluge of grief and sympathy in the Vancouver area for Charlene Reaveley (30), who left Dundee with her family when she was only a baby.
Even Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has paid tribute to the popular young mother of four.
On a visit to Vancouver, he expressed his condolences to her family and said he was open to revisiting a law that would bring more severe penalties for hit-and-run drivers.
Charlene Reaveley, nee Ogilvie, was hailed as a good Samaritan after leaving her vehicle with her husband to go to the aid of a couple who had been in a car crash at a junction in Vancouver in the early hours of last Saturday.
She and a 26-year-old woman from the crashed car were standing at its side when they were side-swiped by a passing Jeep Grand Cherokee that did not stop.
Emergency aid was summoned but both women died.
On Sunday a 37-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident.
He faces a number of charges involving causing the women's deaths while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Charlene's distraught father Colin Ogilvie told The Courier from his home in Coquitlam, part of Vancouver, that a whole community was in mourning.
The Ogilvies lived in Fintry Mains and Mr Ogilvie served his apprenticeship at the Robb Caledon shipyard and went to sea as an engineer.
He continued, "Charlene was only months old when we left Dundee to search for work back in 1980.
"I followed Norman Tebbit's advice to get on my bike and went to work in the naval dockyard in Portsmouth.
"I worked there for four years and was made redundant, and it was then that we left for Canada.
Team player
"Charlene was always able to fit in and found friends very quickly. She was always a good team player and excelled in team sports like softball and ringette."
She met her future husband Dan when she was very young and the couple had their first son Kaeden in 2000.
Four years later they had daughter Rebecca, and then Alicia in 2006 and son Tristan in 2009.
Despite settling successfully in the Vancouver area Charlene kept in touch with her cousins back in Dundee, her father said.
"Charlene's passing has had an incredible unifying effect on this community," Mr Ogilvie continued.
"There has been an unbelievable response from all walks of life with people remembering her for her caring, loving, non-judgmental nature.
"She would help other mums by picking up their children and keeping them safe and amused at her home until they could be collected.
"She studied physical education and became a personal physical trainer and ran boot camps early in the morning and late at night.
"She was a walking testimonial to will power, dedication and endeavour."
A neighbour of the Reaveleys echoed her father's sentiments, describing her as like a second mother to all the children in the street.
"The kids in the neighbourhood, she'd take them over when they were on their own," said Dennis Hucal.
"They'd play in the yard, she'd feed them. Even if she didn't know the kids, she'd treat them like they were her own."
A trust fund has been set up in Coquitlam to help Charlene's family.
Tragedy
The tragedy happened after a Nissan Pathfinder SUV struck a concrete barrier at a major intersection and spun round, leaving 26-year-old driver Lorraine Cruz and her 28-year-old boyfriend shaken but not seriously injured.
Charlene and her husband witnessed the accident and crossed the highway to help the couple.
Charlene was standing on the passenger side assisting Ms Cruz when a white Jeep Grand Cherokee side-swiped the Pathfinder, instantly killing the two women.
The driver fled the scene but his abandoned vehicle was found a few kilometres away.
Ms Cruz's boyfriend was taken to hospital with leg and head injuries and Dan Reaveley was left severely shaken.
News of the incident quickly spread and before long a floral tribute appeared at the roadside.
A memorial service will be held for Charlene on Saturday and a Facebook page in her memory has been created.
Cory Slater (37), from Coquitlam, who was later taken into police custody, is facing numerous charges in connection with the deaths.
They include two counts of dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, failure to stop at the accident causing bodily harm, two counts of impaired driving (under the influence of alcohol or drugs) causing death, impaired driving causing bodily harm, two counts of causing an accident resulting in death and causing an accident resulting in bodily harm.
He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear in court next week.
08.47pm - 10.03.2011 canali - vancouver bc, canada Report This
this event has affected me pretty profoundly; and I don't even know any of the family or friends more directly involved. There has been quite the outpouring of support both emotionally and financially for Charlene and her suriviving family here in the lower mainland/tri cities area. So sad a case.
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