U.S. land border reopening means Brockville, Ont. couple can finally be with sick mother
With the Canada-U.S. border planning to reopen in November, a Brockville, Ont. couple is both relieved and excited to finally be with their sick mother.
It was exactly the news Debbie and Mike Durham wanted to hear late Tuesday evening.
"That was so important because my mom has cancer and we're going over to look after her and we've sold everything we own so we can move across," said Debbie, holding back tears.
Inside their two-bedroom north-end apartment, boxes have already been packed. Now all they need is a date.
"If you want to see somebody run real quick to pack a car, you watch me!" said Mike with laugh.
The couple moved back to Brockville from Alliston in southwestern Ontario a year and a half ago to be closer to Debbie's 83-year old mother, Donna.
Debbie Durham's mother Donna Reed and husband John. (Supplied)
She lives in Ogdensburg, N.Y., directly across from Prescott, Ont. on the St. Lawrence River, and was diagnosed with cancer shortly after the pandemic began.
Debbie was able to visit her in December after getting permission to cross the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge from the Ogdensburg Port Authority.
"I could have stayed as long as I wanted but I didn't know that. I stayed with my mom for five days and then I came home and quarantined," Debbie said. "We've been waiting for that border to open to go across and it finally came!"
She was so excited by Tuesday night's news that she hardly slept through the night, waking her mom up Wednesday morning to tell her.
"I called her at 5 o'clock this morning and I said, 'Did you hear the news?', and she goes 'What time is it?' and its 5 o'clock and she said, 'What news?' and I said 'Mom, the border is reopening!' and she goes, 'What?' and my mom's crying and I'm crying and I'm like, 'Oh, my God," Debbie said.
Wearing the Ogdensburg t-shirts that Debbie's mother bought them, the couple said they can't wait to finally confirm a date when they will be able to cross.
The t-shirts Debbie Durham's mom bought her and her husband Mike in Ogdensburg, N.Y. (Nate Vandermeer / CTV News Ottawa)
"I'm raring to go," said Mike, who also has family in New York State.
"Every day, I'll be marking that calendar, just to see how many more days we have left," Debbie said. "As soon as we find out, the car is getting packed at night because we are going to be ready to cross that bridge the first thing in the morning."
"I have a lot of family in Ogdensburg, New York and I can't wait to see all of them," she said sobbing. "We've waited too long."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.