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Ladysmith students A Celebration of Life for Kaitlin Heidelbach will be held Friday, Sept. 6 at 1 p.m. at Queen Margaret’s School start garet’s School as her school,” Outside of school, Kaitlin to know they did a great job Lindsay Chung school a said Tanya. “She decided in loved sailing, kayaking and and helped us out.” “This community as a whole, Grade 5 she wanted to go to climbing. “She was a very outdoorsy there were other people in day later The word “driven” comes Queen Margaret’s, and we
Accident claims life of ‘very driven’ teen Partial DJ fees donated by SUNWEST www.sunwestdj.com
THE CHRONICLE
up often when Neil and Tanya Heidelbach of Ladysmith describe their 16-year-old daughter Kaitlin. So do words like “adventurous,” “outdoorsy,” “fearless” and “happy.” Sadly, these words are being used in the past tense after Kaitlin lost her life in a tragic accident late last week. After a long search, Kaitlin’s body was found by Search and Rescue technicians shortly before 9:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 30 in the Hidden Falls trail area. Search and Rescue crews from Ladysmith, Nanaimo and Cowichan, as well as an RCMP helicopter, had been looking for Kaitlin in the Ladysmith trails since just after midnight. Kaitlin had texted Neil Thursday, Aug. 29 at 6:30 p.m. to say she was going for a walk and that she’d be home in two hours. When her family didn’t hear from her — which was uncharacteristic — they called the police, and the search began. Kaitlin was born and raised in Prince George, and when her family moved to Ladysmith in 2009, she became the fifth generation of her family to live here. Kaitlin’s parents say she was very driven, and she always wanted to be a doctor. “She was a really motivated girl who chose Queen Mar-
told her if she maintained and athletic teenager who a straight A average, we had no fears,” said Neil. would move here and she Neil and Tanya say Kaitlin would be able to go there.” was “far from your typical Kaitlin did just that, and teenager.” They say she was she applied to the school. very protective of her sister In 2009, she started Grade 7 Dezaray, and she loved to at Queen Margaret’s School read. “She had her head on her (QMS) when her family shoulders,” said Neil. “She moved to Ladysmith from knew where she wanted to Prince George. be and how to get there.” “She chose it partly beKaitlin wanted to go to Mccause it was a university Gill University and then to prep school,” said Tanya. the University of Oxford to Kaitlin also loved horses, and the equestrian program An overnight search for pursue her dream of becomat Queen Margaret’s was 16-year-old Kaitlin Heidel- ing a doctor. “She had her whole educaanother big draw for her, bach ended tragically Friday tional future mapped out,” noted Tanya. PHOTO SUBMITTED morning. said Neil. “She was so drivWhen the Heidelbachs moved to Ladysmith, Kait- ing,” she said. “It was like en. She was always reading. lin brought her horse Rocky that in everything — sports, She would choose reading here to be stabled in Cedar. school, horse shows. She over TV — unless it was anShe had raised the horse had to be perfect. She al- ime. She loved anime, and since she was 10 and com- ways said she was going to she couldn’t wait until the peted in many American be rich and be a doctor and next series came up.” Tanya and Neil say Kaitlin Quarter Horse Association travel. She had huge dreams was a very happy teenager. shows with Rocky. and huge hopes.” “She excelled in everything Kaitlin was going to be en- “She was always laughing, she did,” said Tanya. “Any- tering Grade 11 at QMS this always smiling,” said Neil. thing she did, she had to be year as House Captain and “Kaitlin loved the rain. If it the best.” Sports Captain, and Tanya was raining, she loved to be When Kaitlin was 12, and says she was excited to outside. She was competiher family moved to the Is- start those leadership roles. tive, fun-loving, adventurland, she found herself a job Volunteering was a big ous and very driven. She working in the stables. She part of Kaitlin’s life, and was a tremendous kid.” The Heidelbachs want to recently started a job as a when she was 14, she went cashier at Walmart in Dun- on a service trip to Nicara- thank the Ladysmith RCMP can, and she had to take an gua with her school. Kaitlin and Search and Rescue exam to get the job. Tanya was looking forward to go- members from Ladysmith, says Kaitlin rewrote the ing on another school ser- Nanaimo and Cowichan for exam until she got 100 per vice trip to Africa this year, their tireless work searchcent – which was typical of and she was saving up from ing for Kaitlin. “Everyone was so amazing,” her drive to succeed. her new job at Walmart for said Neil. “Everybody needs “It was basically all or noth- the trip.
the community who aren’t Nick Bekolay even part of Search and THE CHRONICLE Rescue who helped,” added Tanya. Students in The Heidelbachs are grate- Ladysmith return to ful for the support they’re school one day later being given. than their counterparts “There was so much help in Chemainus this year. from the community and Today marks opentown and the surrounding ing day for the 2013areas,” said Neil. “I want 14 school year at to thank everybody. I also Cowichan Valley want to thank our closest schools while students friends who were up with at Nanaimo-Ladysmith us all night helping us cope. schools wait until toOur friends and family are morrow to attend their amazing. Without question, first classes of the year. without hesitation, they Chemainus Elemenwere there.” tary and Chemainus The Heidelbach family is Secondary open this setting up a scholarship or morning with disbursary through QMS in missal scheduled to Kaitlin’s name for students take place three hours who are pursuing studies in earlier than usual. All the medical field, and any- students are expected one who would like to sup- to attend school at port the family can donate Chemainus Elemenmoney to the school under tary today, but only Kaitlin’s name. A bank ac- eighth graders and new count is also being set up students are scheduled in the Heidelbachs’ name to attend classes at at Ladysmith and District CSS this morning. CSS Credit Union. reverts to its regular A Celebration of Life for schedule tomorrow Kaitlin will be held this Fri- (Sept. 4). day (Sept. 6) at 1 p.m. at Students in Queen Margaret’s School at Ladysmith, Cedar and 660 Brownsey Ave. in Dun- North Oyster, meancan, followed by a tea. while, have had their RCMP Victim Services are opening day pushed available to anyone impact- back to tomorrow due ed by this tragedy. This free to a staff in-service day service can be reached by scheduled for today. calling the Ladysmith RCMP Nanaimo-Ladysmith See Pall Page 8 at 250-245-2215.
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