School parents in Saanich have launched an online fundraiser to support the family of a woman who suffered a medical incident and died while driving her two kids to class.
The Rogers Elementary Parents Advisory Council (PAC) in a GoFundMe says Corrina McDonald, the mother of two students at the school, “passed away after suffering a significant medical incident which resulted in a motor vehicle accident.”
It was around 8:43 a.m. on Dec. 6 when Saanich police were dispatched to the 700-block of Rogers Avenue, not far from the school, for a report of a minivan crashing into a house.
Police say the driver, identified in the GoFundMe as 46-year-old McDonald, was pronounced dead at the scene after crashing the van into the house’s front porch at a relatively low speed. Investigators told CHEK News she suffered “a significant medical event.”
READ MORE: Woman dead after medical event causes crash into Saanich home
The McDonald/Kettani family is enduring “unimaginable loss,” according to the PAC, which says McDonald was a cherished member of the Rogers community.
“We are reaching out to you with heavy hearts and a shared commitment to support one of our own during an incredibly challenging time,” the council wrote in the GoFundMe.
It says it started the fundraiser shortly after the crash “to provide financial support for the McDonald/Kettani family as they navigate the difficult road ahead.”
By Sunday morning, more than $5,400 was raised by 80 donors, and the PAC says the money will help McDonald’s family cover immediate and ongoing expenses, “offering some relief during this profoundly difficult time. Your contributions, big or small, will make a significant impact on helping this family rebuild their lives.”
No one else was injured in the crash, said police. The BC Coroners Service was leading the investigation, and anyone with dashcam footage of the crash was asked to call Saanich police.
“Let us come together as a tight-knit community to honour Corrina’s memory and provide tangible support to her grieving children,” wrote the PAC.
“Your kindness and generosity are deeply appreciated.”
The GoFundMe is here.
Ethan Morneau
