The parents of twin brothers who died after sneaking into Canada Olympic Park’s luge-bobsled track more than two years ago say they fully support an inquiry into the tragedy and are thankful it’s taking place.
“We haven’t come here to try and satisfy needs to blame anyone or deal with any anger or frustrations,” Jason Caldwell said.
Caldwell, reading a statement as his wife Shauna stood at his side in provincial court, said his family has been doing a personal fatality inquiry of its own as it searches for answers in the depths of grief for their sons Jordan and Evan.
Watch from Oct. 20: Global’s Jill Croteau sat down with Jason Caldwell who spoke about his experience dealing with the tragic death of his twin sons Jordan and Evan Caldwell, who were killed after an accident on the bobsled track at Canada Olympic Park.
The twins, who were 17, were part of a larger group that snuck onto the grounds of the WinSport facility with plastic sleds and headed down the icy track, which was built for the 1988 Olympics.
They hit a gate, set up to divide the bobsled and luge runs, at high speed and died almost instantly — six other young men were taken to hospital.
Both Caldwell and the inquiry judge drew parallels with the grief still rippling after Humboldt Broncos bus crash in Saskatchewan on Friday, which killed 15.
Caldwell says he has immense empathy for those affected by the Humboldt tragedy.
“Tragedies remind us that life has immeasurable value because of the deep love we feel for one another,” he said.
“Risks to life in this world are inevitable — but because we value life and there are opportunities to put safeguards in place, we fully support and encourage this inquiry process, and are thankful for it.”
Caldwell also said he could relate to what parents involved in the Humboldt tragedy are going through, including the potential for misidentification of victims.
“We had a moment like that…the boys were so damaged,” he said.
“We were brought in to identify one of the boys and he looked like our son, but…we realized both of our sons were not at the hospital; they were at the medical examiner’s office.”
Shauna also related to the chaos experienced by those affected by the Humboldt tragedy.
“It’s a whole new reality, processing life without your children, and there’s a lot to grapple with,” she said. “How do I get out of bed and have motivation to keep pushing on? It’s minute-by-minute experiences and beyond that–when shock wears off–you start to become more aware of rawness and heartache.”
Calgary Police Service Det. Neil MacPherson, who responded to the scene around 8 a.m. the day of the accident, said the boys climbed over a fence that was more than two metres high at the top of the sliding track to access the start house.
MacPherson said there were “no trespassing” signs and three boys involved in the Feb. 6, 2016, tragedy had snuck into the park about a week before.
The court was shown a photograph of the start house with a blue metal fence on wheels blocking the entrance, which MacPherson said would be easy for the boys to get around.
He said security footage showed that on the night of the fatal accident, none of the boys were wearing headlamps or helmets.
At the time, police said the teens on the first sled, including Evan Caldwell, hit a barrier gate and fell off their sled. A second sled struck one of the injured teens lying on the track.
The third sled then came down the track with two passengers, including Jordan Caldwell, who was sitting at the front. Caldwell struck a chain that was across the course.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said multiple blunt force trauma was the cause of the deaths and neither drugs nor alcohol were believed to have been factors.
The two young men had worked the previous winter as hill ambassadors at WinSport, which owns and operates the track and Canada Olympic Park.
Police did not lay criminal charges in the case.
Jason Caldwell said he sent an email to WinSport’s president, advising he has no plans to pursue litigation.
“We know you can’t be involved and not experience grief,” he said. “We want to extend that hand of grace and let you know it’s not your fault.”
Judge Margaret Keelaghan will review the circumstances of the accident and can recommend how to prevent similar deaths. The inquiry is scheduled to last three days.
With files from Global’s Jill Croteau
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