A married Saskatchewan couple has been stranded by the roadside in Quebec for over a week after their truck broke down during their cross-Canada road trip.
Manny and Effie Silveira, residents of Saltcoats, Sask., have set up a makeshift campsite along a residential street in St-Jerome, Que., as they await parts for truck repairs.
Their trusty RAM truck and camper suffered a major breakdown as the couple was travelling along Highway 15 South.
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“All of a sudden I heard some noises and 10 seconds later I had no power steering,” Manny Silveira said.
The camper truck was towed to the local H Gregoire dealership.
After a detailed inspection, it was discovered several things were gone, among them the fan clutch and the water pump.
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The repairs, a 12-hour job, will cost more than $5,200.
It’s a breath-taking expense the Silveiras say they did not account for on their vacation to Newfoundland.
“I wanted to cry but I could not. I kind of froze,” Manny said.
“What can you do? We don’t have the money but we have the Visa. We will be paying it off and I hope I don’t die before I pay it off.”
A big problem for the couple is that the car parts needed for the repair aren’t readily available and will take days to arrive.
Manny says the work on his truck is expected to start by the end of the week with repairs only being completed by Aug. 23 — assuming all goes to plan.
“Once it’s done, we are going to hit the road and never look back,” Manny said. “Hopefully, we get there before the snow flies.”
The couple says they looked at their options and considered staying at a nearby campsite but said it was not in the budget.
They decided, with the permission of the dealership, to park the camper truck on the street in front of the garage.
“We have no water. We have no sewer hook up. … What do we do?” Effie said she asked herself once the situation settled in. “We are stuck here. What else can we do?”
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Luckily, the experienced campers have managed to find all the amenities needed.
Electrical power is supplied by a generator, a freshwater source is close by, and the dealership is allowing them to use its facilities.
“We like to have them around,” said Nado Covone, H Gregoire service manager. “They are very nice people. It is fun to see them. At the same time, we feel bad for them,”
“We’re making sure we are following up on the car parts. Hopefully, we get them out of this parking lot as soon as possible.”
Manny and Effie say they are making the most of a bad situation by making friends in the area.
Both can’t say enough nice things about the people in St-Jerome and the employees at the dealership.
“They are going above and beyond their duty,” Manny said.
In fact, Manny says once the truck is undergoing repairs, they plan on staying with an employee of the H Gregoire dealership.
“We are just overwhelmed. People are just helping us,” Effie said.
While spirits remain high, the couple is looking forward to hitting the road again. Despite their troubles, they plan on completing their cross-Canada journey.
“We are tough. I am Portuguese and my wife is a Newfie. It is a great combination,” Manny said.
“The vehicles break down, but not us.”