"Complete disbelief": BC elementary school teacher mourned by community after storm tragedy
Editor’s note: This piece has been updated as of Tuesday, October 22.
The Tri-Cities community is remembering a longtime elementary school teacher who was killed when a mudslide washed away her home this weekend.
Tribute messages are pouring in remembering Sonya McIntyre. She was a teacher at Aspenwood Elementary School in Port Moody for two decades, and the principal sent a letter to parents this week.
“It is with great sadness that I am writing to inform you that our long-time teacher, Sonya McIntyre, died Saturday following a tragic accident,” Don Hutchison wrote. “She has been a valued member of the Aspenwood community for many years as a teacher and mentor to students and staff.”
Former students are among those sharing their heartbreak over the loss on social media.
One parent, who said their child was in Ms. McIntyre’s classroom this year, was shocked to learn that the beloved teacher had passed.
“I am in complete disbelief,” she shared on social media Monday.
Another parent shared that she had taught her daughter for Grade 2 and that she was “such a nice person and [this is] so horribly tragic.”
Others shared that she was kind and loved teaching.
“That is the worst unimaginable nightmare?! So tragic!” another shared.
A photo of the mudslide at Quarry Road in Coquitlam shows the debris and mess left in the flood’s wake. (Coquitlam RCMP)
“My favourite grade 3 teacher đź’” heartbreaking,” another shared.
McIntyre is among the two confirmed deaths over the weekend after an atmospheric river brought significant rainfall and rising waterways over just 72 hours.
Another Coquitlam resident missing
Coquitlam RCMP also reported that a 59-year-old man, Robert Belding, is missing and was last seen near Pipeline Road and Galette Avenue around 5 pm Sunday.
Robert Belding
“Police and family are very concerned for Robert’s well-being. Coquitlam Search and Rescue have been engaged,” Mounties said.
Robert is described as a man with short brown hair, a white beard, and brown eyes who is 5’10” tall. He was last seen wearing dark pants, a light-coloured top, and boots with a brown, black, and tan camouflage pattern.
If you have any information about Belding’s whereabouts, call the Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550 and quote file number 2024-27890. Or, if you want to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Coquitlam saw the highest rainfall on the mainland, with more than 250 mm reported by Sunday night, but large areas of Vancouver Island also saw treacherous conditions and unsafe river banks.
Sarita is a 30-minute drive from Bamfield (Google Maps)
The Kennedy Lake area on eastern Vancouver Island saw 318 mm, or about a foot of rain, and the heavy flooding it caused is being blamed for the death of a woman who was driving between Bamfield and Victoria during the storm. Her vehicle was found submerged in Sarita River off Bamfield Rd, and her body was found nearby.
A second person who was also travelling along that stretch of highway is presumed to be dead. Their vehicle was found submerged in Sarita River, but first responders were unable to get to them due to the conditions being still too dangerous due to high water levels.
“Today, RCMP are liaising with Alberni Search and Rescue Squad to coordinate recovery of the missing person’s remains and the vehicles from Sarita River in anticipation of lowered water levels. The family of the missing have been notified,” the Port Alberni RCMP said Tuesday.