A Victoria police officer died Wednesday night after he lay in a coma following a motor vehicle incident in 1987.
Const. Ian Jordan was involved in an accident on Sept. 22, 1987, as he responded to a possible break-and-enter on Fort Street.
WATCH: Archive video shows the Victoria crash scene from 1987
Jordan, who was 35 at the time, was supposed to be on his way home when the call came into headquarters.
As officers rushed to the scene, Jordan’s vehicle crashed into another Victoria police car at the intersection of Douglas and Fisgard streets.
That car was carrying officer Ole Jorgensen, who suffered a serious injury in the crash.
The incident resulted in changes to traffic light control along Douglas Street and the creation of the police department’s Criminal Incident Stress Management (CISM) team, which assists officers and staff after traumatic events.
Jorgensen would go on to head up a trauma assistance team for the Victoria police, which was made up of officers who had encountered traumatic incidents and recovered.
Chief Const. Del Manak visited Jordan in hospital regularly, and his room was updated with a plaque last year.
“He is a constant reminder of the sacrifices our officers make to keep the citizens of Victoria and Esquimalt safe,” Manak said at the time.
On Thursday, Manak said Jordan’s wife, Hilary, was beside the fallen officer virtually every day.
“I just can’t put into words how tough that would be for her. And then to have to go through it and then be supportive and have hope for such a long period of time,” he said.
“The fact that she has stayed true to Const. Jordan and stuck by his side, regardless of what he’s been going through and supported him through this time – I think she’s a special woman.”
Manak says Jordan’s son was 16 months old at the time of the crash.