Jorge Maria
Mansfield-et-Pontefract Nov. 6, 2021
After a year-long fundraiser friends dedicated a bench to Todd “TJ” Vibert Jr., 23, of Campbell’s Bay and his fiancée Karine Marion of Fort Coulonge. Vibert and Marion died after a . . .
tragic car accident on March 8, 2020.
Longtime friends Jacynthe Belair and Damian Mousseau unveiled the bench in Marion’s and Vibert’s honour at Chutes Colounge in Mansfield-et-Pontefract. The couple worked and met at the local park.
In an interview with The Equity, Belair said they had originally expected 56 people to attend but more than a hundred showed up. The group planned a toast of hot chocolate to the couple but quickly ran out due to the crowds unexpected size.
Due to the COVID restrictions, the funeral had been very restricted and many people couldn’t make it to the funeral.
“We didn’t expect half as many people to show up. It is heartwarming to see how many people are part of this,” Mousseau said in his opening speech introducing the bench.
The bench, a chainsaw carving of a bear on one end and an owl on other end — “[Karine] was a freak about owls,” said Belair. Purple was used throughout which was Vibert’s favourite colour.
Extra proceeds that did not go towards the bench will be donated to Chutes Coulonge.
Vanessa Morin, Marion’s sister also commented on the size of the crowd. With so many people there, it feels stressful. “It feels real,” she said.
When it came time for a toast, Sandra Holland, Vibert’s mother and Christine Durocher, Marion’s mother stood side-by-side.
“As they both served hot chocolate here for many years I now invite everyone to please raise your cup and join me in a toast to TJ and Karine,” said Holland.
Coming to the park was one of their favourite things, “they both loved this place so very much. They were soul mates, she said.
“Life is not forever, love is.”
