Jamie and Katrina Holtom’s lives changed on July 14, 2000 when their two-year-old son Lucas was killed in the Pine Lake tornado that claimed the lives of 12 people.
The devastating twister that ripped through Green Acres campground devastated families in a matter of minutes.
The Holtoms and their two children were staying there with friends. The cabin they were in was ripped to shreds.
“Our son had been thrown somewhere else and we had to find him and look for him and we did eventually — it was clear he had been injured,” Katrina shared from their home in Brampton, Ont.
Lucas later died. His five-week-old sister survived.
Just a year after the tragedy, his parents decided to give back to the Brampton community that supported them so much through their tragedy. They started the Lucas Holtom Carnival, an annual event in that draws thousands for a day of free family activities.
“It’s a positive day filled with joy. We felt that honoured him because in his two years, he had a lot of joy. He had a great life. We were grateful for that,” said Jamie, who is a minister in Brampton at North Bramalea United Church.
“As the carnival has grown over the years, thousands of people come on that day and you can feel it. You can just feel this sense of hope and although life can be really hard, it can still be good.”
But this year, because of COVID-19, the carnival had to be cancelled. The family, knowing people need hope more now then ever, has decided to offer a virtual replacement, a Facebook Live event on July 11, that will include the nurse, Carol Reimert, who comforted them at the Olds, Alta., hospital the night of the tornado.
“She brought Lucas into our room so we could have time with him. I wouldn’t have asked to do that. I wouldn’t have known,” said Katrina.
Jamie said it will be chance to thank the first responders who helped during the tornado.
“I think it’s going to be an amazing piece of this Facebook Live on Saturday to hear from Carol and her experience of that night,” Jamie said.
“And a great time to thank and appreciate people who do important jobs like that who don’t always get thanked.”
Reimert now works as a nurse in Sundre. She has kept in touch with the Holtoms over the past 20 years.
“It’s been an inspirational friendship. They are an amazing couple,” Reimert said.
“The work they are doing to promote his memory and to promote faith is incredible and to use Lucas to help with that, I just think not a lot of people would not have the courage or the strength to do that. I think it in turn gives them the strength and courage to carry on.”
Reimert said the time she spent with the Holtoms on the day of the tornado had a huge impact on her life.
“If I do nothing… more in my nursing career than touch these people, then I have had a great nursing career,” she said. “They gave me so much, but in turn I think they feel they had someone they could lean on.”
Every year, the carnival has involved families who have lost children and this year will be no exception.
“What we realized is that you are always a proud parent and you want to share your children and share them with other people and just cherish that memory,” Jamie said.
The Holtoms said the grief of losing a child never completely goes away but their experiences over the past 20 years have taught them that although life can be difficult, it can also be filled with love and hope.