An online fundraiser has been launched for a man in his early 20s who was stabbed while rushing to aid someone yelling for help in downtown Campbell River.
Colin Dube-Wheat, 21, was walking home in the early hours of Friday, July 14, when “He heard someone yelling ‘help,’ walked over and an individual beside an unconscious person stabbed Colin in the chest twice, puncturing his lung and heart,” says Jen Fyfe.
Dube-Wheat was lying “for a period of time alone until first responders attended to him and had him airlifted to Victoria,” according to Fyfe, the victim’s cousin.
“The VGH Trauma Team performed open heart surgery and repaired the injuries to his heart and lungs, and he is now in the early days of what will be a long recovery period,” she wrote to a GoFundMe page organized last week.
“We, the family of Colin, are thankful to the first responders and medical teams in both Campbell River and Victoria for saving his life.”
Const. Maury Tyre with the Campbell River RCMP says there’s no risk to the public following the incident, which happened around 4:30 a.m.
“At this point in the investigation, there is no indication that there is a danger to the public at large,” said Tyre in an update Monday.
Fyfe says Dube-Wheat has a fiancé and young daughter, and she adds she’s worried “how they will manage with both having to be off work, they work and rent in Campbell River.”
She says “Medical EI will only cover so much, and we are reaching out to our community to help this young family while they manage these next few months.”
As of Sunday afternoon, more than $14,000 has been raised from 161 donors, including one donor who wrote, “No one should have to go thru this, we should all be safe in our own small town! It’s appalling!”
In September 2022, the city’s former mayor raised concerns following an influx of disturbances downtown. Months later a local bank reduced its ATM business hours due to safety concerns, as Campbell River council also looked to restrict public consumption of drugs.
“We have been in complete shock and crisis mode since this happened,” added Fyfe.
She’s asking anyone with information about the stabbing to contact police. Campbell River RCMP tell CHEK News its major crimes unit is investigating the incident.
The GoFundMe is here.
Ethan Morneau
