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People are rallying behind the man who lost his wife and daughters in a three-vehicle crash near Foam Lake on Friday.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Shaun Didychuk with medical expenses, bills and the funeral and memorial costs for his wife, Amber, and their two young daughters, Everly and Isla.
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On Tuesday afternoon, the fundraiser has raised more than $29,000 of its $40,000 goal.
According to the RCMP, 40-year-old Amber, eight-year-old Everly and five-year-old Isla, were killed in a three-vehicle collision on a grid road just west of Foam Lake on Friday.
Officers were called to the scene around 12:35 p.m., and the RCMP said investigators determined a truck was attempting to pass a semi when it crashed into the family’s SUV.
Didychuk, who was also in the SUV, survived with serious injuries.
A neighbour of the family, Stacie Warren, said Foam Lake is a strong community, but everyone is mourning right now. She said people hug each other and make sure everyone’s okay when they go into town.
Warren got emotional while talking about the two girls and what they meant to the community.
“It’s like their street. There’s so many children playing and laughter, and they would come over and draw on the sidewalk and ride their bikes, and they would always be outside. You could walk past, and they’d always be outside and say hello,” she said, pausing to collect herself.
Warren added that she could always hear Isla and Everly giggling while they played down the street.
Fellow Foam Lake resident Carma Arnason said it’s the only thing people are talking about in the town.
Although Arnason didn’t know the family personally, she put teddy bears out on her front step. Jessica Malisheski, whose daughter just started kindergarten with Isla, is behind the trend, encouraging people to place two stuffed animals outside their homes, one for each girl.
Stuffed animals sit outside a home in Foam Lake in remembrance of 40-year-old Amber, eight-year-old Everly and five-year-old Isla, who died in a crash on Oct. 2, 2026. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)
For Arnason, the crash itself remains a concern.
“I don’t understand how anybody thinks they can pass a semi on a dusty road where you can’t see what your oncoming traffic is. That to me is irresponsible,” she said.
Kelly Knopf, a 40-year-old man from South Carolina has been charged with three counts of dangerous driving causing death and three counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm in connection with the crash.
Brian Pfefferle, the lawyer representing Knopf, said on Monday there is no indication that alcohol, drugs, or excessive speed were factors.
According to Pfefferle, Knopf sustained serious injuries in the collision and, as of Monday morning, remained in hospital.
“He is devastated by the loss of life and overwhelmed with grief. He intends to cooperate fully with authorities throughout the process,” Pfefferle said in a statement.
Pfefferle said Knopf was on a hunting trip in Saskatchewan and has been travelling to the province for several years. He noted Knopf has connections to many people in the area.
“He and his family are deeply grateful for the support and compassion they have received from the community as they navigate the many consequences of this tragedy which has impacted their community,” the statement said.
— With files from 980 CJME’s Gillian Massie and 650 CKOM’s Mia Holowaychuk
