By Jean Shin ’20

On Friday, April 6th at around 5:00 pm, The Humboldt Broncos, a junior Canadian ice hockey team, was on its way to a playoff game when the bus collided with a semi-trailer truck at a highway intersection on the northern border of Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada.

The impact flipped the bus sideways and sent the vehicle skidding across the highway. The front half of the bus’s roof was completely torn off. Broken road signs and pieces of glass littered the scene. Fifteen people, including head coach Darcy Haugan, athletic therapist Dayna Brons, team captain Logan Schatz, and radio announcer Tyler Bieber, died in the accident, and the remaining thirteen passengers were injured. Another passenger on the bus passed away five days after the crash.

The small town of Humboldt responded to this tragedy with shock and disbelief. Like many cities in Canada, ice hockey plays a major role within the Humboldt community. The devastating loss of these players brought the town together. Community members held vigils and decorated stairs of the Broncos’ arena with teddy bears, jerseys, and flowers to commemorate the team.

The Loomis Chaffee Varsity Ice Hockey teams demonstrated their support by wearing their game uniforms to class on April 13th to spread awareness about the collision.

Many members of the girls ice hockey team first heard about the incident through social media, including Instagram and Twitter. They expressed their grief to one another and discussed ideas that could contribute to the Humboldt cause. The team decided to hold a fundraiser at one of the boys’ lacrosse games. By selling food and gathering donations, they collected over $300 to support the Humboldt families.

Jenna Donohue ‘20, a right wing player on the Loomis Varsity Hockey team, commented, “It especially impacted us as a community because we are always on a bus together. The accident could’ve happened to anyone in any sport at Loomis. The situation would be devastating because every team member feels like a sister.”

The Humboldt tragedy continues to receive support for the victims of the tragic bus crash and their families. The outpouring of love through social media and generous donations through the GoFundMe campaign keep the memories of the Humboldt Broncos members alive.