Hatzic student was 'well-loved'

April 28, 2008

The community of Nicomen Island is in mourning after last Friday's tragic accident in which a 17-year-old Hatzic Secondary School student was killed.

The bright and popular student, Jody McKimmon, was driving in her red Honda Civic Friday morning about 8 a.m. when her vehicle left the road, crashed through a power pole and into a tree, just east of Madaris Road on the Lougheed Highway.

"It's been a very hard day," said HSS principal Larry Jepsen, who first met Jody when she was in Grade 6, and he was principal at Dewdney Elementary School. "She was well-known and well-loved. She was very talented and had a great sense of humour."

Jepsen said the students have set up a memorial for Jody in the school, and a roadside memorial has also been erected.

"She comes from a very, very nice family, and there are just so many people affected by this tragedy," he said Monday. Counsellors are on site at Hatzic secondary, and an area has been set aside at the school for those students who need to talk to someone.

Jody's uncle, Lloyd McKimmon, said she "was just a sweetheart. She had everything to live for."

McKimmon said the family wants to thank North Fraser Fire Department for their care and concern, as well as the whole community.

"There has been an overwhelming outpouring of sympathy," he said. As well, the family has been blessed with offers to help run the family dairy farm, and lots of food has been dropped off. No more flowers, please, he added.

In a press release sent out Friday afternoon from Mission RCMP, Upper Fraser Valley RCMP Traffic Services investigators determined speed was a factor, and she was not wearing a seatbelt.

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Hatzic student was 'well-loved'

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