A fundraising campaign has been launched for a couple who was involved in a single-vehicle rollover crash in Chilliwack on Easter Sunday.
Mounties were called to the area of Yale Road and Hocking Avenue on March 31 and arrived to find the driver unresponsive and a female passenger with minor injuries.
Police say both people were taken to the hospital, with the man in critical condition.
It’s unclear what caused the crash, but police said on April 3 that neither speed nor alcohol are believed to have contributed to it.
As of Wednesday, the man was in stable condition, police said.
A GoFundMe has identified the couple as Norm and Diane Melanson. The organizer of the fundraiser says “Norm suffered a cardiac event” while driving.
They explain that “due to the heroic efforts of a good Samaritan, Diane sustained only minor injuries,” adding, “it was only through the prompt response of paramedics that Norm’s heart started beating again after being without a pulse for over 20 minutes.”
The GoFundMe is hoping to raise $40,000 to help the family cover costs.
The fundraiser describes Norm and Diane as having been “the heart and soul of our community for years, serving up slices of kindness along with their delicious pizzas at Jim’s Pizza for 16 years.”
The Melansons sold their restaurant and retired in June 2023, the GoFundMe says.
“Through their business, they’ve been the backbone of countless community initiatives, lending support to individuals and organizations in need for over 16 years. Norm, a warm and loving husband, father, and friend, has always gone above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of those around him,” the page reads.