A Winnipeg family is breathing a sigh of relief now that their son’s memorial, which mysteriously disappeared over the weekend, has been found.
Susan Zuk-Boyer and Dana Boyer called the removal of the memorial, which includes of two of their son Ethan’s hockey sticks in the shape of a cross, a “gut punch” and were concerned it may have been removed maliciously.
That is, until they received a phone call Monday afternoon from Manitoba transportation and infrastructure minister Doyle Piwniuk, who told them Manitoba Highways staff had removed the memorial and it was being held for them.
“(We’re) very happy, but very surprised that he called,” Dana Boyer told 680 CJOB’s The Start.
“That was very nice to hear from him. We’re very happy that it was all safe and sound. That’s really what it boils down to — that’s all that matters.”
Ethan Boyer died in October 2019 on the South Perimeter Highway when his car was struck from behind by a semi, forcing it into another large truck. The makeshift memorial was constructed from a pair of hockey sticks that were in the 19-year-old’s car when the crash took place, and had been regularly visited and cared for by friends and family since it was erected in 2020.
The Boyers said their understanding is that the tribute to Ethan was removed due to a three-year time limit for memorials on provincial roadsides, but the “why” isn’t important — they’re just happy to have their son’s irreplaceable hockey sticks back.
“I don’t care the reason, I’m just so grateful it wasn’t maliciously taken, it wasn’t vandalized,” Zuk-Boyer said.
“We found it … thank goodness. I’m just so grateful and I have no words anymore.”
The couple said Piwniuk reached out to offer his sympathies and is giving them the opportunity to reinstall a memorial to Ethan. Dana Boyer said the memorial serves as more than just a place for Ethan’s family to remember him — it can also remind motorists of the dangers of dangerous driving.
“Obviously, we don’t need the reminder, but the site … we just wish people would slow down, especially down that stretch, obviously because of what happened, but also for safety reasons.”