Daniel Vanheyst, 22, worked as an arborist for Kingston-based company Eco Tree Care. He is being remembered by those who knew him as the “kindest soul you would ever meet.”
According to officials, Vanheyst was killed the morning of March 16 in a workplace accident involving a piece of heavy equipment during an ash tree removal in Oshawa.
The ministry of labour says they are investigating the incident and so is the Durham Police Forensic Unit.
Neighbours and community members of the small community of Verona, where Vanheyst grew up, are grieving his death.
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“Every village has that one kid who goes above and beyond to help anyone or anything and on the day this incident happened. We lost that child,” said neighbour of the Vanheyst family Adam Mory.
Tributes have been pouring in on social media to honour and remember the young man who loved being an arborist.
Vanhheyst’s employer Eco Tree Care declined to comment on the incident sighting the family’s privacy. The company did post a tribute on their social media page: https://www.facebook.com/kingston.ecotreecare/posts/4768780073230970
Mory says Vanheyst was always happy to help others. In high school Vanheyst worked at a grocery store where he was the go-to-guy for anything you couldn’t find.
Mory says he also went out of his way to help his wife who collapsed from heat stroke outside the family home.
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“He ran out with a bottle of water and helped her and stayed with her until I got back,” said Mory.
“A lot of people in the community are really sad,” he added.
A Go Fund Me account was set up for the family and in less than 8 hours has raised more than $13,000.
The family is asking anyone who would like to make a donation to do so in person at the Verona based Bank of Montreal or the Food Less Traveled Grocery Store.
Donations can also be made through an e-money transfer to: vanheystmemorialtrust@hotmail.com
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