Lone survivor of Falmouth crash in stable condition; fundraisers set up

CITYnews halifax / By Natasha O’Neill

Colby Allen was the only survivor in a two-vehicle collision that claimed the lives of five people last weekend.

The 29-year-old was in the backseat of a Nissan Sentra that was carrying three other people — a 45-year-old woman, a 58-year-old man and a 50-year-old man — travelling down Highway 101 between Hantsport and Falmouth near Windsor, N.S.

Just after 11 p.m. on May 10, a Honda Civic, carrying a 43-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman travelling in the opposite direction of traffic collided with the Nissan Sentra.

RCMP later confirmed the same Honda Civic was reported to police for possible impaired driving earlier that night.

Allen was the lone survivor in the collision.

“I just felt heartbroken, of course,” Jan Saunders told CityNews in an interview. “They had to drop everything, not knowing how bad his injuries were…Just so sad and so unexpected.”

Related:

• Police say five people killed after collision near Falmouth, N.S.
• Civic drove into opposite lane in crash that killed 5, RCMP say

Saunders has been a friend of the family for more than three decades. She first met Allen through his aunt and grandmother. When she heard about the accident and how Allen was involved, she could not believe it.

Due to his injuries, he was sent to a hospital in Halifax, forcing his girlfriend and father Stanley to commute back and forth from the rural community or find accommodations in the provincial capital.

“I know what is like like getting back and forth and the expense of that,” Saunders said.

That is why she created a GoFundMe, to see if people in the community would help out the family. A few nights ago, Allen’s father was sleeping in his car while in Halifax because he gave up a room for another family whose loved one was in the hospital.

This selfless act is something Saunders says the family is known for. She has seen Allen grow up and describes him as a “wonderful person.”

“From what I read on Facebook, he is very helpful to other people,” she said. “He’s a sweet boy.”

Saunders said Allen’s two aunts gave her an update on Thursday. They said he is awake and remembers being in the back seat. He was moved from the critical care unit and is now on the road to recovery after several surgeries.

The fundraiser will help the family cover unexpected expenses for the next while.

Each day, Saunders is blown away by people’s generosity. She said that the people helping the fundraiser reach its goal are mostly strangers.

“I’d like to thank everyone of them,” she said.

Fundraiser for parents of two

Another GoFundMe is set up for Randy Oickle and his wife, Amanda. They left behind two children, according to the post. They were in the Nissan Sentra when the crash happened.

“Amanda and Randy were always the first to help anyone and everyone with anything; local groups/teams/clubs, a neighbour, a stranger, your child or mine, with no questions asked and no thanks needed,” Amanda Mattinson, creator of the fundraiser said.

“If you were lucky enough to know them, you were blessed. If we could work together to help show kindness like their parents instilled in these amazing kids.”

The family of four pictured here. (GoFundMe)