A few years after surviving heart surgery, a 21-year-old young man died tragically last month in an accident at work on a farm in Lanaudière.
“I’m so thankful for the last few years. Although he left early, his heart surgery allowed him to stay with us for a few more years. He really took advantage of it,” breathes Johanne Venne, voice broken with emotion.
In 2016, his son Jacob Tousignant was diagnosed with a heart condition. In the hospital in Sainte-Justine, he was finally saved thanks to a heart operation, unaware that years later he would succumb to an accident at work.
Facebook by Jacob Tousignant
Jacob Tousignant, who died in an agricultural accident in May.
On May 22, the young man was operating an agricultural machine on his boss’s farm in Saint-Jacques when he died suddenly as a result of an accident involving the machine. A week later he was to celebrate his 22nd birthday.
“Jacob had a passion for farming. Once he was old enough to drive a tractor, he didn’t stop working. He really liked it. He was even in the process of converting the family farm into an organic farm,” says his mother.
When rescue workers arrived at the scene of the accident around 3:30 p.m., it was already too late. Jacob Tousignant was near farm machinery where he was pronounced dead.
A CNESST investigation has also been launched.
A model of resilience
Ever since his heart surgery in 2016, Jacob Tousignant has wanted to live his life to the fullest, like a rodeo.
When the young man was not working on the farm, his relatives could certainly find him riding his horse Spartan. His friends also had the chance to ride it at a ceremony honoring the cowboy affectionately known as “Coby.”
Facebook by Jacob Tousignant
Jacob Tousignant, who died in an agricultural accident in May, and his horse Spartan during a competition.
“Everyone liked him. It has happened that young people take him as a role model because he was so good and had a head full of projects. He knew where he wanted to go,” says Ms. Venne.
Jacob Tousignant’s wife hopes to carry out the projects they had together in honor of the man he was.
Photo Julie Martel
Jacob Tousignant, who died in an agricultural accident in May, and his wife Emy Lépine.
“I’ve known since day one [qu’il était] the man of my life. He was such a good, patient and hard working man. These words will never be enough to explain everything we have shared together. I can only ask him to give me the strength to continue our projects and take care of us,” writes Émy Lépine on social networks.
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