The Malayalee community is rallying around the families of three men who died in a boating accident on Spray Lakes Reservoir, near Canmore, Alta. after the boat they were on capsized on Sunday, July 10. One man, Jijo Joseph managed to survive. According to Father Thomas Kalariparambil, the four men were close friends who attended St. Mother Teresa Syro Malabar Catholic Church in Calgary and often went on fishing trips together.
Canmore RCMP, Kananaskis Emergency Services, Alberta Conservation Officers, and a cadaver dog were a part of the search team that helped recover the bodies of Liyo Mavalil Yohannan, 41, Kevin Sha Varghese, 21 and Geo Paily, 32. RCMP was unable to confirm why the boat capsized or if the boaters were wearing lifejackets at the time.
A GoFundMe for Yohannan has surpassed its $100,000 goal. He was the sole provider for his family of 10, and the money will go toward supporting them. “The funds raised here are solely to ease the financial burdens of his funeral expenses, his family’s expatriation from Canada to India, aging parents’ medical expenses, education for his children, and support for his wife,” stated a post on the GoFundMe page that was created by the Malayalee Cultural Association of Calgary.
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