A volunteer firefighter, father and a driving force behind a Vancouver Island fundraiser for cancer research has died while tubing on the Cowichan River, his friends say.
Tony Jackson, who volunteered with the Sahtlam Volunteer Fire Department and Jeepapalooza in the Comox Valley, was reported missing Sunday.
The RCMP said Cowichan Search and Rescue recovered a body off Indian Road early Monday.
Police are now assisting the B.C. Coroners Service with a sudden death investigation, said Const. Pam Bolton of the Duncan/North Cowichan RCMP.
It’s the second death in as many years linked to tubing on the Cowichan River.
In July 2017, a Duncan woman in her early 50s died while tubing with friends. Police said at the time that the woman passed a “pullout” zone, fell off her tube trying to get to shore and got trapped under fast-moving water.
It’s unclear what happened in the latest incident.
Amanda Clarke Richardson, who has started a GoFundMe page to raise money for Jackson’s wife, Belinda, said she was told that he vanished while tubing with a group of friends.
“They looked back and he wasn’t there anymore,” she said. “They went back looking for him. They couldn’t find him, so they called the police.”
Clarke Richardson met Tony and Belinda five years ago while organizing Jeepapalooza, a gathering of four-wheel-drive enthusiasts in the Comox Valley every May long weekend.
The event raised more than $30,000 this year through the B.C. Cancer Foundation for cancer research on Vancouver Island.
“They live in Duncan and we live in the Valley and they came and trusted us and showed up to our first event, not knowing us or not knowing what we did or anything,” Clarke Richardson said. “Since then we’ve bonded and they’ve been key contributors and volunteers ever since.
“Tony was a huge asset. He worked so hard. Both of them are just amazing people.”
Clarke Richardson, who spoke with Belinda Monday morning, said she started the GoFundMe page in hopes of helping Belinda with funeral and living expenses.
“I’m trying to help her out as much as possible,” Clarke Richardson said.
“She’s got lots of friends there with her right now, but she’s devastated. They were definitely two peas in a pod, they were. Just amazing people and he’s going to be missed at our event from now on.”
Nanaimo Chrysler Ltd., a supporter of Jeepapalooza, launched an online auction on its Facebook page to assist Jackson’s family as well.
“He’s a very, very well-known individual in the Jeep community and in the 4x4 community and he’d helped us,” said James Crockett, general manager. “We did a Jeep show-and-shine car show this summer and his wife was a very big part of it.”
Crockett said the dealership just wanted to do something to help.
“It’s really touched us and it’s a big loss to the Jeep community and to our store,” he said. “They’re very close to us.”
— With a file from Katie DeRosa
