A few years after the loss of their biological father, this time two young children must mourn their “second father”, who tragically lost his life this weekend during a face-to-face meeting in Sainte-Geneviève-de-Berthier in Lanaudière.
• Also read: Road report of the two long weekends: more deaths than last year in the area of the SQ
• Also read: A collision on the road claims two lives in Lanaudière
“It’s just not normal to make that announcement twice to kids. “It’s really unfair,” begins Jessica Soulard Vermette, her voice broken with sobs.
The love of her life, Jean-François Perreault, was on his way home Friday night when he was hit head-on by an oncoming vehicle on Route 158.
New life
The very last boxes of his move to Trois-Rivières were in a Sprinter van he had borrowed from a friend. The Joliette resident was preparing to settle down there near his beloved after three years of a long-distance relationship.
The lovebirds, who had always prioritized the stability of their children, were excited by the idea that Jean-François’ only daughter decided to enroll at the Cégep de Trois-Rivières.
“It should be the beginning of a new life for us,” says Ms. Soulard Vermette, touched. We finally had what we always dreamed of. But in a split second everything collapsed.”
The mother spent Friday evening at FestiVoix with her two children Florence (10) and Charles (9) and Jean-François Perreault’s daughter Noémy.
“When we got home and I saw that he hadn’t arrived, I called everywhere to find him. My sister called the hospitals and I took the route to his house,” she explains.
Arrived in Berthierville, the road was closed due to an accident. Jessica Soulard Vermette got it right away.
“It had a sixth sense effect,” she says, still shocked.
The death of his spouse, nicknamed “Viking” by his friends because of his imposing beard and remarkable physical strength, was reported to him at the scene by police officers who set up the crime scene.
Her sister and father joined her to take her back to her destination because she was too shattered and in too much pain to go out on the road alone.
devoted father
When she got home early in the morning, she had to break the terrible news to her daughter-in-law. Noémy awaited him at the height of his 16 years of determination and never slept.
“He was a devoted father, his daughter lived with him full-time. It really was HIS father, they were close,” says Ms. Soulard Vermette.
A few hours later, when they woke up, it was his children’s turn who were made aware of the tragedy. This great sorrow therefore joins the sorrow for the loss of her biological father, who took his own life five years ago.
“They considered Jean-François their father,” explains the 40-year-old. It is the second major loss they have suffered in a short period of time.
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