Even if you didn’t know the family of four, you’ve probably heard their names.
Now, the first roadside memorial signs of their kind in Saskatchewan will ensure the Van de Vorst family and their memory will live on forever.
They will also serve as a reminder to drivers – that if it can happen to them, it could happen to you.
On Tuesday, a large crowd gathered along Highway 11 and Wanuskewin Road as one of the signs was unveiled and the other was installed.
Jordan, his wife Chanda, five-year-old Kamryn and little two-year-old Miguire were remembered vividly by those in attendance.
“We still love them,” said Lou Van de Vorst, Jordan’s father, as he choked back tears.
“Now the only time we see them is on a picture. That’s where we see them.”
The signs will be placed in the area where the family was struck on Jan. 3, 2016, by a drunk driver.
The single collision killed all four family members — Jordan and Chanda on scene and their children later in hospital.
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On July 27, 2016, Catherine McKay, the impaired driver behind the horrific crash, was sentenced to 10 years behind bars.
“Please help everyone get a safe ride home. We want to you to live, we want you to have your families and your loved ones,” Jordan’s mother Linda Van de Vorst begged.
“We wish we could have ours back, that was taken from us. So we want everyone else to realize you could lose yours too if you don’t stand up and make a decision to do something proactive.”
In a province with the worst impaired driving rates in the country, these signs are the first to honour victims of impaired driving.
WATCH BELOW: Tana Deibert describes the Van de Vorst family
“Please keep in mind that when you see these names; it was people that had personalities, people that loved other people and were dear to their families,” Chanda’s sister Tana Deibert said.
Discussions continue to see if a monument can be placed somewhere in Saskatoon to honour even more victims of impaired driving collisions.
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