Rockslide shuts down B.C. highway before wedding, stranding father-of-the-bride
In the weeks leading up to Tazz Norris and Lisa Lalonde’s Penticton wedding, they already had guests cancel due to wildfires, smoke and the travel ban, which was rescinded earlier than anticipated.
The couple did not think they would have another roadblock on their big day.
“The fires kept creeping down and then moving back and creeping down and we're moving back and you know, and then I said, ‘Oh, you know what's the worst can happen?’ And then the landslide happened,” Norris recalled.
On Monday afternoon, just three-and-a-half hours before Norris and Lalonde were set to tie the knot, a rockslide spilling 3,000 cubic metres of material crashed down on Highway 97 between Summerland and Peachland.
Lalonde’s 92-year-old father was on his way to the wedding with the rest of the family from Kelowna.
“We drove up to the slide and of course, we couldn't get through. We had to come back and we didn't know how we were going to get to the wedding,” Jack Lalonde told CTV News.
“At my age, I just sat by and let other people figure it out because I couldn't do anything.”
He was right. At that time, family members made a call out for help to friends and strangers.
“I’m all dressed up,” the bride said. “My brother phoned me, I think around 3:30 or 4:00, to say “Hey, are you sitting down?’ and I lied and said that I was, but I wasn't. And then he told me about the slide and then I did have to sit down.”
BOAT TO THE RESCUE
Since there isn’t another direct route between Kelowna and Penticton, the quickest way to get the father-of-the-bride to the wedding was by boat.
Since there isn’t another direct route between Kelowna and Penticton, the quickest way to get the father-of-the-bride to the wedding was by boat.
Strangers offered to help but in the end, a friend, who’s also skilled at rescues, answered the call.
“It was pretty normal for me,” said Randy Brown, a search manager with Penticton Search and Rescue. “I think for them, it was very stressful and I can understand that. My heart went out to them. And I was really happy to be part of it and make it happen.”
Brown put a tracker on the boat so the newlyweds could see when the rest of the family would be arriving.
Due to strong winds, the ride was about 50 minutes.
The wedding was delayed by 90 minutes to ensure the father-of-the-bride could attend.
The couple said it was especially important to have the 92-year-old there because the bride’s mother passed away just two months before.
“It did mean the world, especially with mom being gone; she was supposed to be there,” Lalonde said.
‘BEAUTIFUL DAY’
The rest of the day went off without a hitch.
Lalonde walked his daughter down the aisle in blue suede shoes, the same pair he wore when he got married in 1955.
Lalonde walked his daughter down the aisle in blue suede shoes, the same pair he wore when he got married in 1955.
“One of the highlights,” he described of that moment. “Being there and seeing two happy people, united and starting a new life, it’s an experience. It was great.”
A few people were not able to attend due to the rockslide and they organized a viewing party to see the nuptials.
“It was a beautiful, beautiful day; beautiful ceremony,” Lalonde said. There was a lot of love in the room. And it just, you know, made it all the more special with all the adversity that we had to go through to get to this point.”
ROCKSLIDES THEN WILDFIRES
The next day, Lalonde’s father was only back at his assisted-living facility for a few hours before he had to be evacuated again because of the McDougall Creek wildfire.
He was evacuated initially when the fire first spread and he stayed with family in Summerland. But this time, he will be staying with family in Kelowna.
“I didn't expect the second time, it’s quite something,” he said.
Norris said it was hard on him to leave again, but he’s taking it in stride.
“He treats it like a big adventure. He's got an iPad, his iPhone and his chargers,” Lalonde said.
The newlyweds are now in Winnipeg to have another wedding ceremony with Norris’ family.
“The only times there's a rockslide in Winnipeg is if somebody's curling,” he quipped. He said as a comedian, the past week has given him new material for upcoming shows.
They also believe the hurdles they face, only strengthen their bond.
“We figured it was a way to show that together, we can get through anything,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he does not regret calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko,' and now his MPs are renewing calls for the House of Commons Speaker to resign, this time over ordering the Official Opposition leader to leave the chamber.
Is it cold, flu or norovirus? Symptoms explained
The highly contagious norovirus is spreading across Canada, with some symptoms overlapping with other viruses. CTVNews.ca spoke with a health expert to find out how you can tell you have norovirus, the most common form of stomach flu, and what to do if you have it.
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
Ontario's police watchdog continues probe of high-speed pursuit involving fatal crash
The investigation continues into a collision that killed two grandparents and their infant grandchild during a high-speed police chase on the wrong way of Highway 401 east of Toronto.
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Search continues for 'armed man' in Dartmouth, N.S.
Police say they continue to search for an armed man who allegedly threatened people in Dartmouth, N.S.
Swarm of bees delays Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles game in Arizona. An 'MVP' beekeeper came to the rescue
Major League Baseball fans had an unexpected buzz on Tuesday after a swarm of bees delayed the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game for around two hours.
Newfoundland fisherman says police broke his leg during protest that delayed budget
Richard Martin is spending this year's fishing season on land after he says a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer broke his left leg in three places during a protest last month that shut down the provincial legislature.