Family and friends of 25-year-old Victoria Buchanan paid tribute to the young woman on Saturday, at a visitation and memorial service at Ottawa’s Beechwood Cemetery.
Buchanan died early Monday morning, around 7 a.m., as she ran to catch a bus at Baseline Rd. and Rockway Crescent.
“Love your kids, because you just never know, one second they're not going to be here,” said Buchanan’s mother Kelly Jodoin.
Buchanan had just left her apartment building Monday morning, when she slipped and fell as she ran for the OC Transpo bus, which then struck her.
When paramedics arrived, she did not have any vital signs.
Buchanan did not survive being run over by the bus' back wheel.
“It's really hard to think that she's gone,” said Crystal Tully, a long-time friend.
“If it wasn't for Victoria, I wouldn't have this little one right here,” she said, motioning to her five-year-old daughter, who she was holding in her arms. “I’ve had quite a few rough patches she pulled me back from. “
Another long-time friend, Kayla Gignac, says Buchanan was the strongest women she had ever met.
“When my fiance was in Afghanistan, she would come up to Petawawa to visit; she would talk on the phone with me for three to four hours at a time…we never ran out of things to talk about,” she said.
Friends set up a memorial near the crash site, with a wooden cross, flowers and pictures.
Buchanan’s mother is encouraging people to leave a card, photo, or write down a memory about her daughter and leave it at the memorial. She plans to collect the mementos.
There is no indication from police that the crash could have been prevented. No charges have been laid.
At the memorial service, loved ones said this is not a final goodbye.
"It's Ciao, it's not Bye," said Gignac. "Every time she'd hang up the phone, (she'd say) Ciao. I'll talk to you again soon."
