CALGARY – Friends are remembering a young man killed in a collision on the QEII on Wednesday as a loving father with a generous spirit.
Mark Manns was driving northbound on the highway near Airdrie around 10:30 a.m. when his vehicle crossed into the southbound lanes and was hit by an oncoming semi.
Manns was driving to work at the East Central Ambulance Association at the time of the crash, where he was employed as an EMT (emergency medical technician).
“He got to be the guy who was a hero,” says family friend Peter Jacoby. “Other people are running away and he’s running towards it and that’s how Mark was and he loved it.”
Jacoby says the crash could have happened to anyone.
“If anybody was skilled enough, he was, and it goes to show when road conditions are bad it doesn’t matter, anybody can get caught.”
Friends say Mark was so dedicated to his job that he taught first aid courses in his spare time.
“Mark was an exceptional EMT with 4 years of service. He was well respected and had worked at all 3 Stations (Castor, Coronation and Consort). During his time with ECAA Mark touched many people with his passion for EMS and truly cared for his patients,” says Operations Manager Lorne Dewart in a statement.
Manns leaves behind his wife Stephanie, with whom he was married for ten years – and two boys, ages six and nine.
Donations are being accepted for a trust fund to support Manns’ sons.
“Being able to make sure this family has a soft landing, that they don’t fall through the cracks,” says Jacoby. “We can’t absorb their pain but what we can do is maybe rally Calgary and say “hey – this is one of our own, one of the helpers. This was one of the good guys.”
Donations can be made to In Trust for the Family of Mark Manns at any Alberta Treasury Branch.
In addition, an money transfer can be sent to marktrustfund@gmail.com – or cheques and money orders can be mailed to Mark’s wife, Stephanie West.
They should be made payable to Stephanie West and donors could mail them to:
P.O. Box 464
C/O Stephanie West
Suite 300, 8120 Beddington Blvd NW
Calgary, AB
T3K 2A8
BELOW: Read a statement from Mann’s family, on behalf of family friend Peter Jacoby
“On Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. a weather related collision on Highway 2 took the life of Mark Manns who later succumbed to his injuries at 12:05 p.m. He was on his way to work at the East Central Ambulance Association where he was a paramedic. The Forensic Collision Unit confirmed the accident was related to poor road conditions and that speed was not a factor.
Mark was a loving father of two boys, ages 6 and 9 and was the beloved husband of Stephanie for ten years. Mark’s dedication to his profession led him to teach first aid courses in his spare time providing life saving knowledge to people in the community. He had a generous spirit with his family, his friends and his neighbours and he will be dearly missed. Funeral arrangements are currently being prepared. In lieu of flowers, donations will be gratefully accepted towards a trust fund for his surviving sons. Anyone interested in making a contribution can email marktrustfund@gmail.com for details.”
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