As the cycling season prepares to be in full swing, the relatives of a cyclist and father who died crushed by a farm tractor in Montérégie last week want to do a useful job by putting “a face” on the victim.
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“It is certain that there will be questions that will remain unanswered about how it happened, but I think that in this regard, we will not have the choice to accept it,” agrees, at the end of the line, Camille Thibault.
The one who shared her life with Justin Bertrand for five years nevertheless wants to “put a face” on the drama which is upsetting her family.
“For me, what is difficult in the last days, we are talking about papers, procedures, it is as if we were talking about an object. The fact remains that it is a person who died, argues the young woman. We are talking about my partner.”
Justin Bertrand during a sporting event in 2019 and his first with his partner, Camille Thibault. He lost his life while cycling in a collision that occurred in Calixa-Lavallée, in Montérégie, on May 7.
Photo CAMILLE THIBAULT
On May 7, Justin Bertrand trained by bike during his lunch hour, as he did regularly.
While he was on Chemin de la Beauce in the small municipality of Calixa-Lavallée, an agricultural tractor was driving very close to him.
Confluence of circumstances
The driver, who had activated his emergency lights, suddenly made a turn to the right, catching the 30-year-old man by surprise, according to what the police told the family.
The collision left no chance for Edouard’s dad, who will soon celebrate his first birthday.
This is where Justin Bertrand lost his life, in Calixa-Lavallée, in Montérégie.
Photo Agency QMI, MAXIME DELAND
“It’s a very stupid accident,” recognizes Pierre Bertrand, the father of the deceased, before testifying to the helplessness felt when hearing the news from Martinique.
“If it had been five seconds later, the outcome would have been completely different. We would like to reproduce it and we wouldn’t even be able to,” says Camille Thibault, who doesn’t blame the driver.
Three passions
It also refuses to fuel tensions between heavy goods vehicles, motorists and cyclists. Rather, she wants to emphasize the fragility of sharing the road, especially since Mr. Bertrand was “super cautious”.
“He wasn’t a daredevil. Yes, he was capable of reaching a certain speed because he is a good sportsman, but he did not purposely go too fast for nothing,” summarizes Mme Thibault.
Justin Bertrand, who was an advisor for major donations at the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation, also did triathlons and cycling was his favorite discipline.
“That’s really what his world was, sport, philanthropy and his family,” summarizes Pierre Bertrand.
Photo CAMILLE THIBAULT
No memories
Camille Thibault is emotional at the idea that little Edouard cannot keep concrete memories of his father, due to his young age.
Just a few weeks ago, the little Verchères family had immortalized their presence at a half-marathon in Lévis with a photo.
Mme Thibault takes comfort in the idea that the little one does not “feel the same pain as us” at the moment.
“It’s a little baby smile,” illustrates the 27-year-old woman.
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