Whitehorse Daily Star

Fund-raising begins for family members of collision victims

The families of Derrick Gibbons and Brendan Kinney

By Rhiannon Russell on August 13, 2014

The families of Derrick Gibbons and Brendan Kinney have set up transit accounts and a website for people who wish to assist them financially after last Saturday’s tragic highway collision in Whitehorse.

The two friends were passengers in a car that hit a semi-truck early Saturday morning on the Alaska Highway at the Hamilton Boulevard extension.

Kinney, 20, died at the scene.

Gibbons, 18, was medevaced to Vancouver General Hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition.

Clare Cherepak, 15, also died after the collision.

The 15-year-old female driver of the car was treated and released from Whitehorse General Hospital. Her name has not been publicly released.

Cherepak’s family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, people donate to the Whitehorse Food Bank and the Blood Ties Four Directions Centre “to honour Clare’s compassionate and giving nature.”

A memorial for the teen will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Vanier Catholic Secondary School.

Her parents suggest that visitors wear bright colours, and invite them to bring memories, written thoughts and photographs of their daughter to be displayed.

Grief counsellors are at the Riverdale school through the week, from noon to 4 p.m., to talk with students.

Both Kinney and Gibbons graduated from Porter Creek Secondary School. They worked together at Bigway Foods in Copper Ridge.

The Porter Creek school is also open from noon to 4 p.m. this week for students to talk with counsellors, post messages or leave notes for the families.

Tribute pages for both Kinney and Cherepak have been set up on Facebook, and friends have been sharing memories and condolences.

As of this morning, Whitehorse RCMP had no updates on the investigation. It is ongoing.

No criminal charges have been laid.

If you are able to assist Derrick Gibbons and his family with his recovery, donations can be made at the Whitehorse Scotiabank transit # 709200 account # 0520624.

If you are able to assist the family of Brendan Kinney with unexpected costs, donations can be made at the Whitehorse Scotiabank transit # 709290 account # 519820.

In the next few days, the website www.prayersforourfriends.com will be set up and linked through Facebook with a secured link to the bank should you choose to donate online.

“Thank you to each and every one of you for respecting and supporting all the victims of this recent tragedy,” the Kinney and Gibbons families said in a release.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.”

See editorial this website.

Comments (11)

Up 24 Down 5

People can donate on Aug 14, 2014 at 4:20 pm

@anonymous, if you don't want to make a donation, then don't. But these families will have expenses (travel, lost wages, funeral expenses). I made a donation to both, wish I could do more for them.

Up 22 Down 4

A friend on Aug 14, 2014 at 4:00 pm

Please don't judge. It's not 'them' asking for anything. Friends help in tragic situations. Friends set this up for the families, and friends will help.

Up 18 Down 4

anonymous2 on Aug 14, 2014 at 3:59 pm

For starters.."Anonymous" you have no idea "obviously" on what losing a child is like..do you know the parents personally? I highly doubt it..therefor you have no room to judge.. you don't know if they're single parents struggling themselves..do you have any idea how much it is for memorial services.. I don't understand how this bothers you in any way..what bothers me is negative ppl like yourself who seem to think they "must" post negative comments such as the one you posted..its not like they're not asking "you" for money..sorry to tell ya that there actually is ppl left on this earth who have a heart when it comes to matters such as this!

Up 21 Down 4

Cindy Billingham on Aug 14, 2014 at 3:17 pm

Funeral costs are expensive. Also during this tradegy it is likely the parents have not been able to work - not all of us have paid leave or the means to pay for such an unexpected expense.

Up 17 Down 1

Wuman on Aug 14, 2014 at 2:52 pm

@ above. My thoughts exactly.

Up 34 Down 1

Kelly Coventry on Aug 14, 2014 at 2:40 pm

How do you know they are asking for money, it could have been people asked if they could contribute to the expenses as a way of remember the kids and helping out their parents. No one asked you specifically to give money and if you don't feel it is right then don't give, but don't make comments that are going to hurt people who are already grieving They have enough on their plates to deal right now.

Up 26 Down 3

Anon on Aug 14, 2014 at 2:02 pm

What an ignorant insensitive thing to say, given what the parents have been through I dont think they would be able to work for quite awhile

Up 29 Down 3

Ummm on Aug 14, 2014 at 1:57 pm

@anonymous... Most people don't have a reserve of money set aside to pay for the costs of having to bury your child. Or money set aside to spend months in vancouver to be there for their child's recovery. It doesn't sit well with me that you had the nerve to say that. Some people are just disgusting specimens of man kind, here's hoping you never experience the loss of a child and that you regret your distasteful words.

Up 29 Down 5

rusty on Aug 14, 2014 at 12:57 pm

You try paying for your kids funeral and then having enough to pay the bills each month. Pull your head out of your a--.

Up 36 Down 6

Julie Powers on Aug 14, 2014 at 12:41 pm

Are you serious "anonymous" someone has to pay for the funeral expenses and now a days that is VERY costly. I'm Brendan's Aunt, his Mom is my sister who is a single parent so do you not stop to think that these costs are now going to affect her as she will have to pay them and support her other child and herself as well. Really go do something else with your time, SHAME ON YOU!!

Up 22 Down 67

anonymous on Aug 13, 2014 at 5:59 pm

Why are they asking for money? This isn't a spouse where you have lost an income and have a mortgage to pay. It doesn't sit right with me.

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