From incredible video captured during the Fort McMurray wildfire this spring to a heartwarming video of a local dancer with Down syndrome, Global Edmonton viewers were captivated by online video this year.
Whether you were at home, school or work, you were bound to have spent some time this year watching videos online.
As 2016 comes to a close, here’s a look back at the videos viewers in the Edmonton area found most interesting this year.
You can also vote for your most memorable video of the year in our poll at the bottom of the page.
10) Crude sign on Edmonton ring road lights up social media: ‘We done b*itches’
Edmonton drivers celebrated the completion of Anthony Henday Drive in a number of ways this fall. Some chose to drive the full length of the ring road while others took a different approach.
A video of a digital construction sign went viral on social media after someone changed the message to say “NEW NORTH A. HENDAY NOW OPEN… WE DONE B*ITCHES.”
9) Powerful video captures resident’s escape from Fort McMurray wildfire
Five of this year’s Top 10 videos were captured during the Fort McMurray wildfire in May. This video was posted to YouTube during the evacuation and shows the incredible scene around the northern Alberta community as a resident and his family fled the area.
With flames surrounding the highway and emergency sirens ringing in the background, the residents can be heard saying “I can feel the heat here. This is insane.”
8) ‘That is how a police officer is supposed to do their job’: Edmontonian posts police encounter online
Over the summer, as tensions in the United States rose over police shootings, an Edmonton man was so concerned about being pulled over by police that he decided to record the interaction on video.
What happened while he was pulled over for speeding surprised Kurt Thomas. The conversation with the police officer ended up turning into a friendly discussion about his vehicle.
“I’ve got a question for you,” the officer said in the video.”How do you like this car?… I’ve seen it around but I don’t know anyone that owns one, I just wondered how they are.”
The pair continued to talk about their shared passion for cars. Before leaving, the officer had one last thing to add.
“We’ve just had too many people in big crashes this year so you’ve got to slow down,” the officer said. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
Thomas said the interaction gave him a fresh perspective of the police.
“I believe that this guy did his job at a high level. He conducted himself with a high level of class, courtesy, respect and professionalism,” Thomas said. “That is how a police officer is supposed to do their job.”
7) Fort McMurray wildfire: satellite maps show the damage
In the days following the evacuation of Fort McMurray, what was left of the community weighed heavily on the minds of those forced to flee their homes. Was their home still standing? If so, in what condition?
The first clear satellite images of Fort McMurray were released, providing some answers for residents.
6) Fort McMurray man watches his own home burn down via doorbell camera
On May 3, as tens of thousands of people fled Fort McMurray, one man’s doorbell camera captured a desperate battle as firefighters worked to save his home from the flames.
Ken Bell, 40, had just installed a new security system in his home in the North Parsons neighbourhood, which included a doorbell camera.
It was through this camera that Bell, an oilpatch worker and longtime Fort McMurray resident, watched as firefighters battled to save the house he and his two children called home.
5) Dangerous driver caught on dashcam along Alberta’s QEII Highway
A dangerously close pass along Alberta’s Queen Elizabeth Highway was caught on dashcam in April and the video, posted to Facebook, went viral.
The video shows a car driving in the right-hand lane of the highway. The car then swerves into the middle of the road, speeding between two cars instead of passing safely.
The dangerous pass happened near Bowden, Alta.
Earlier this month, the Calgary man charged with dangerous driving in the incident had his charge withdrawn. The Crown prosecutor’s office said after speaking to witnesses, there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction as no one would be able to positively identify who was driving the car.
4) Fort McMurray wildfire: Aerial footage of the destruction in Abasand and Beacon Hill
Less than a week after the Fort McMurray wildfire broke out, Global News obtained aerial footage of the devastation caused in the Abasand and Beacon Hill neighbourhoods, two of the hardest-hit areas of the community.
The beginning of the chopper video showed several homes burned to the ground in the Abasand neighbourhood. Next, the helicopter flies south over the Beacon Hill neighbourhood where more homes were levelled.
3) Dashcam catches road rage on Anthony Henday Drive
A shocking case of road rage on Anthony Henday Drive was caught on dash cam in April.
Kurt Walushka was heading home from work when his commute turned dangerous.
“I was in the passing lane and had a vehicle just about side-swipe me so I hammered on the brakes and leaned on the horn to show him that I was not happy with his driving skills,” Walushka said.
“He reached over and ended up pulling out a hunting knife and waved that at me.”
2) Edmonton girl with Down syndrome dazzles with her dance moves
A six-year-old Edmonton girl with Down syndrome proved to her peers and complete strangers earlier this year that nothing can hold you back from your dreams, or the stage.
To a mashup of “Shut Up and Dance” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” a video of Ana Malaniuk dancing with her dance teacher was posted on Facebook and it too went viral.
Global News caught up with the young dancer and her mom, Sonja Malanuik, who said when her daughter was turned away from one local dance studio, Amanda’s Academy of Dance welcomed Ana with open arms.
1) Fort McMurray wildfire: A timeline of a disaster
The most-viewed video of the year came as the devastating events of the Fort McMurray wildfire were unfolding. In a timeline of events from throughout the first week of May, this timeline video captured the ups and downs of the chaotic time.
From May 2, when the fire flared up and the morning of May 3 when the beast seemingly died down, to later that afternoon when nearly 90,000 people were forced to flee Fort McMurray, this video captured the eyes and hearts of thousands of people this spring.
Which video resonated most with you? Vote in our poll below. And if your most-memorable video of the year isn’t on the list, tell us about it in the comments section below.
With files from Elton Hobson, Erika Tucker, Global News.
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