'She's part of Rebecca': Grieving B.C. family reunited with dog that ran away after fatal crash

A dog who was involved in a fatal collision on B.C.'s Coquihalla Highway has been safely returned to the grieving family of Rebecca Hoogstraten.

Lianne Hoogstraten says Jayda the Rottweiler meant everything to her 22-year-old daughter, who was travelling home to Chilliwack on Tuesday after visiting family in Armstrong when officials say her car and a commercial vehicle collided near Hope around 8:30 a.m.

The dog ran away from the collision scene. 

“Jayda’s a part of Rebecca, so not being able to find her was like not being able to find a part of my daughter,” Hoogstraten told CTV News Friday.

The dog was found on Wednesday following a community search and rescue effort that included construction workers from the Kiewit Corporation—something Hoogstraten says has restored her faith in humanity during this tragic time.

“What people have done for us in finding Jayda has been unreal. The Kiewit workers spending days on the ground looking for her, people with drones, people driving from Aldergrove, friends hiking, people walking—it’s just been unreal. The faith in humanity has returned.”

She describes her daughter—the eldest of three children—as the glue of the family.

“(Rebecca) was our everything. She was everyone’s everything, and just to see what all these people have done—it’s done a lot of good. It hasn’t brought her back but it sure has helped share our pain,” said Hoogstraten.

She wants to see something change when it comes to traffic fatalities on the Coquihalla Highway.

“That highway has taken so many lives," she said. "There’s no reason for this. (Rebecca) was an excellent driver, she had quick reflexes—never drove distracted, she wouldn’t even eat while driving.”

Hoogstraten says her daughter drove often as a result of her job as a house-cleaner, something she loved doing because it helped people.

The 22-year-old was saving up to buy a house in Armstrong, where she and her boyfriend were planning to move to be closer to her parents and two younger brothers.

“They were just the closest siblings you’ve ever seen,” said Hoogstraten of her children.

In the wake of her daughter’s death, Hoogstraten says different members of the family have come to B.C. from Manitoba, Ontario and even Europe to mourn together.

“There’s been personal things in our lives where people weren’t connected, and everyone’s back together again,” said Hoogstraten. “That was definitely Rebecca’s dream, but if only she was alive here to share it with us.”

Her mother is urging people to reach out to their loved ones.

“(Rebecca) would want you to help each other, helping the unfortunate, helping animals—anything suffering—she’d want people to reach out,” said Hoogstraten. “It bothered her so much that there was so much turmoil and hatred in the world. To know that, with this, so many people have come together—that would have been huge for her.”

Jayda was taken to the vet on Friday to ensure the dog didn’t sustain any internal injuries, and will continue living with the Hoogstratens.

“She’s part of Rebecca, she’s part of us, part of our family. That’s what Rebecca would have wanted, absolutely. She would have given her dog a throne in the middle of the house,” said Hoogstraten. “My daughter looks very much like me. (Jayda) just looks at me and she just begs, you know, where is Rebecca?”

An investigation into the collision is underway, and police have said drugs and alcohol don’t appear to be contributing factors.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dash cam video that could help with the investigation is asked to call B.C. Highway Patrol in Chilliwack at 604-702-4039.