One year ago on February 8, a bus was deliberately driven into a daycare in Laval, killing two toddlers. As this sad anniversary approaches, while we still know nothing about the suspect’s motivations, parents and caregivers have agreed to share their memories of this day as chaotic as it is tragic.
Through tears, nightmares and horror flashbacks, two fathers who saved children and subdued the suspect in the Laval daycare tragedy a year ago have since cultivated a friendship so strong that They now call themselves “boyfriends for life”.
Initially, nothing predestined Mike Haddad and André Beaudoin to be friends. One is a construction contractor and the other a watchmaker in a shopping center. The two men had never met at the daycare, even though their children had been attending the place for a while.
But one mild February morning, as fate would have it, they witnessed an event that defied all logic – a City of Laval bus crashed into the facade of their daycare, killing two children in addition to hurt many.
“At the time, we looked at each other and we didn’t move,” says André Beaudoin, father of two children, including a baby who he came to drop off at the establishment that morning. It took us two or three seconds to realize because at first it was all completely insane.”
André Beaudoin (left) on the day of the tragedy with journalists.
Joël Lemay / QMI Agency
Action mode
Quickly, the two men went into action mode. André hurriedly pulled out the bloody and screaming children who were trapped under the bus through toys and small broken chairs. Mike focused on the suspect, the bus driver, whom he wanted to subdue quickly.
“I didn’t know what he was going to do once he got off the bus,” he said. That’s also what haunts me, what would he have done if no one had blocked him?”
Realizing that Andre was out of breath, Mike went to help him free the remaining children from under the bus. André, for his part, took over from Mike by controlling the suspect with the help of other parents until the police arrived.
“I was covered in blood and my clothes were torn from sliding under the bus,” recalls Mike Haddad.
Mike Haddad in an interview with a journalist on the day of the tragedy.
Photo Agence QMI, Joël Lemay
After the chaos, the two fathers went to the police station to provide their statement. When he was allowed to leave, André refused to leave the premises.
“I needed to see Mike again,” he said. When he came out, we hugged each other for a really long time. Without saying anything.”
Since then, the two friends have been almost inseparable. Their families meet often and even celebrated December 31 together to put an end to this difficult year.
“This guy is a warrior,” said André, squeezing his friend’s shoulder. He’s my boyfriend for life, that’s for sure. There is no one else who can understand what we went through that day.”
“Good night, Jacob.”
As for their children, the most impacted was little Sam, 3 years old.
“He was very good friends with little Jacob, who passed away,” said his father, Mike. When we see stars in the sky, he says good night. Jacob’s mother gave him his toys and they are his most precious possession. He is very attached to it.”
Mike Haddad and André Beaudoin are not the only ones to have kept in touch. Groups of moms and dads were created after the tragedy and many of them still communicate regularly to support each other.