Trucker’s body repatriated from U.S.
NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – The body of a Canadian trucker who died of a heart attack while driving home from the U.S. last week has been repatriated with the help of money raised through a GoFundMe campaign.
Christopher Brown, 48, died as he drove through Pennsylvania on Dec. 22, his niece who started the Bring Chris Brown Home campaign, said in an online post.
“He managed to steer his transport truck off the road safely, avoiding a major collision in 38 inches of snow,” Alison Savoy wrote.
“Even more heartbreaking to know, he was speaking to my aunt Kathy when he died,” Savoy added.
Brown’s widow, Kathleen, later told CHCH News of Hamilton that he told her he thought “he had just hit something or something wasn’t right on the road, but it was him actually going into distress”.
She said he had pulled over to the side to avoid harming others.
“He did anything and everything for anyone who needed help. He didn’t even have to know them.”
_ Kathleen Brown, widow of Christopher Brown.
Kathleen Brown said her husband was a very caring, loving, helpful and kind-hearted man.
“He did anything and everything for anyone who needed help. He didn’t even have to know them,” she told CHCH.
Brown’s body was brought home on Christmas Eve. The Browns have two sons, Ethan and Aaron.
Savoy’s campaign, which had a goal of $10,000, has now raised more than $28,000.
“He is my personal hero who showed me first-hand what true love of friends and family really means. We are all richer in spirit to have known him,” she wrote.
Savoy said a celebration of life for Brown will be held when it is safe to do so.
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Marc Bridgeman first of all he wasn’t a broker, he was working for a trucking company in Niagara Falls. How this works as I’m told is his wife had to go to the USA and claim his body before they would release him to be brought back to Canada. She had to go physically by car there and back with her own funds. The reason I know this is my husband was a coworker of Chris Brown and they were both travelling that night back home to Canada on their last trip before Christmas. My husband just happened to be ahead of him on their route
and never knew what happened to Chris until the following day.
May God Bless you and keep you during this most difficult time. I don’t know your husband, Christopher but my family went through the same sorrow. My dear trucker driving brother in law, Gary Demars died the same way,Oct. 23,2020 pulling his big car carrier during rush hour on the 401 coming home from Kingston, Ontario all the while having a blood clot that took his life. Blessing to you and your family. May the Lord shine down on you and your family and bring peace into your lives.
I think that if the person is a company driver the trucking companies should have pay medical bills and the cost of returning the body. I do not think cross border truck drivers should be allowed to get paid by a corporate account unless they own their truck. Many private insurance companies and W S I B do not cover medical bills if the drivers get sick. This is why a Non profit group is currently looking at setting up a group home for former truck drivers that are living in cars or on the street in Ontario.
Rest easy driver.
I’m confused. Why would there be any issue with repatriation? Carrier insurance, workers comp, private insurance policies if he was a broker, the carrier themselves, even provincial government would have some bearing on a sad issue such as this.
I understand the gofundme and I think it’s great to support such great need, however, this should not be an issue.