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Lisa Lalonde’s Penticton wedding, they already had guests cancel due to wildfires, smoke and the travel ban, which was rescinded earlier than anticipated.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
NDP wants Liberals to scrap proposed election date change that could secure pensions for many MPs
The federal New Democrats want to amend the Liberal government's electoral reform legislation to scrap the proposal to push back the vote by a week and consequently secure pensions for dozens of MPs, CTV News has learned.
Drive one of these vehicles? You may pay 37 per cent more than average insurance costs due to thefts
As the number of auto theft incidents rises in Canada, so have insurance premiums for drivers, even the ones whose vehicles aren't stolen.
Doug Ford suggests immigrants behind Jewish school shooting
Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested immigrants are to blame for the shooting of an empty Jewish school in Toronto over the weekend, despite police saying they have little information on the suspects.
Melanie Joly 'forward-leaning' in debate on Ukraine using NATO arms inside Russia
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is suggesting Canada would support a policy of allowing Ukraine to use NATO-provided arms inside Russia.
Fast-paced, highflying SailGP blows into Halifax for weekend competition
Ten countries, including Canada, each with teams of six sailors, are battling head-to-head on Halifax Harbour this weekend for the Canadian debut of SailGP (Grand Prix).
Donald Trump can sue niece over NY Times article, court rules
A New York state appeals court said Donald Trump can sue his niece Mary Trump for giving the New York Times information for its Pulitzer Prize-winning 2018 probe into his finances and his alleged effort to avoid taxes.
Shania Twain shares how she forgave her ex-husband's cheating: 'It's his mistake'
Shania Twain recently addressed the infidelity that rocked her marriage to Robert 'Mutt' Lange, whom she divorced in 2010 after he had an affair with her friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud.
Supreme Court won't hear appeal in Montreal brainwashing experiments case
The Supreme Court of Canada will not review a Quebec ruling that bars people from suing the U.S. government in Canada over its role in notorious brainwashing experiments at a Montreal psychiatric hospital.
Teen pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of homeless man in downtown Toronto
One of eight teen girls charged in the death of a homeless man in downtown Toronto has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.