John Fisher spent 33 years of his life as an Alcoholics Anonymous advocate in Campbell River. But in an ironic and tragic twist of fate last week, the 59-year-old was killed just minutes from his home by a suspected drunk driver.
On November 26, a suspected inebriated 28-year-old crossed the centre line while driving and crashed head on into Fisher’s Honda, killing him immediately. The other driver was seriously injured.
Fisher had been on his way home from work and only five minutes away from his home when the accident happened.
He was a proud father of two daughters and a new grandfather and, according to his family, was looking forward to his 60th birthday.
“He dedicated 33 years of his life to AA and he was killed by alcohol, a drunk driver,” said Jodi Cohen, Fisher’s widow. “His death was totally senseless. Drunk driving that’s something there’s no excuse for.”
Sobriety was an important issue for Fisher, his widow said. He supported many in the AA program and helped a lot of people get sober over the years.
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His daughter Kaitlin Andrusyk, who Fisher walked down the aisle only a few months earlier, said her son will never get to know his grandfather for an accident that was “so preventable.”
“It was a split second… and it was literally a left turn home and that’s all it was, it was one turn home,” Kaitlin said.
It’s been eight days since Fisher died and police are still investigating the accident.
“There have been no charges to date,” Staff Sgt. Tom Beauregard, Campbell River RCMP said. “We have a team of investigators working on the file and we’re treating it as a criminal crash.
“Our investigators believe that alcohol and speed were factors in the crash.”
After such a tremendous loss to their family, the Fishers hope some good can come from the story.
“Do not drink and drive,” Kaitlin said. “I don’t care if you’ve had two beers – have somebody as a designated driver.”
For Jodi, she believes if one person hears their story and “realizes the next time they’re drunk that they don’t drive… then that’s a good consequence.”
~ with files from John Daly
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