‘All over the world:’ Humboldt Florist inundated with orders

Many give flowers in hard times as a way to show they’re thinking about the person affected. That’s no different in Humboldt over the past week.

Sixteen people lost their lives after the bus carrying players and staff from the Humboldt Broncos crashed with a semi on April 6. Fourteen people died instantly while two others died later in hospital. Three people still remain in critical condition, four are listed in serious condition and three others are stable.

The only flower shop in the small town, Humboldt Florist on Main Street, have been inundated with phones calls from strangers wanting to send flowers.

“We have been getting phone calls from all over the world,” florist, Ruth Brinkman said. “Lots from the U.S.A., even from Australia.”

Humboldt Florist staff Ruth Brinkman (left), Kathy Poppel and owner, Wendy Wegleitner, pose for a photo amid working non-stop to fill orders from around the world after the Humboldt Broncos Bus Tragedy. (Submitted)

Brinkman added some of the random people phone ordering flower arrangements are asking they be delivered to the anyone and everyone who were affected by the tragedy on Friday.

“The families, billets, anyone that has a connection to Humboldt … the town office, RCMP, businesses — just everyone.”

She said they’ve been working non-stop since news broke on Friday evening. Brinkman added she doesn’t know how many orders they’ve made.

“I actually can’t say how many … it’s beyond our comprehension really,” she said.

Brinkman added while they work on the green and yellow arrangements — their hearts are with the family’s of the people who lost their loved ones and with the people who survived. She said she personally thinks about Dayna Brons — the teams athletic therapist — as she’s from the from the same village, Lake Lenore, Sask.

“It touches all of us here,” she said. “We will do whatever we have to — to get us all through this.”

She said it’s incredible to see the outpour of support by people they will likely never meet.

Brinkman said it’s also overwhelming the amount of flower shops province wide that have offered their help and support.

“From all over Saskatchewan florists have offered they’re help — which is such a real Saskatchewan thing,” she said. “They said they would come help and be here immediately to help us design and do our work.”

As they work around the clock, she said even locals have come in and offered their help along with bringing coffee and treats.