David Hall never got to see his newborn son, but the tragic story behind little Noah’s birth earlier this month is touching hearts near and far, as funds pour in to ensure the youngster gets “the best start at life.”
A GoFundMe campaign launched March 12 in memory of the Peninsula-raised Hall – who was killed two days earlier in a collision en route to Terrace – surpassed $77,000 by Monday.
“Our hearts are bursting as we work to process all that we’ve lost as well as all that we have,” Hall’s sister, Stephanie Schollen, wrote on the GoFundMe page Sunday.
“Noah won’t be able to get to know his dad in person, but he will know him through the memories of so many close friends and family members whom David has touched.”
Hall, 32, died around 9:30 p.m. March 10, after a moose was pushed into the path of his Dodge pickup by a tractor-trailer on Highway 16, just northwest of Moricetown, B.C.
Hall was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife, Kimberley, 31 weeks pregnant, was seriously injured in the collision, which flipped the Dodge onto its roof in a ditch.
Airlifted to hospital, Kimberley underwent an emergency C-section. She and Noah – whose middle name is David – remain in hospital.
“The fact that Kimberley and her baby survived this collision is quite simply a miracle, and we are endlessly grateful to still have them here with us,” Schollen writes.
Friday, Hall’s mom, Chris Hall, said the outpouring of donations and comments in the wake of her son’s death has brought some comfort to the family.
“We always knew how special and… kind of a magical-personality guy he was,” she told Peace Arch News. “I didn’t know other people felt the same way.”
Chris described her son as “well-loved.”
Born in North Vancouver, he lived nearly all his life in South Surrey, attending Ocean Cliff Elementary and Elgin Park Secondary, where he was active in drama. He went on to attend film school at Capilano College, and became an animation editor in Vancouver.
Kimberley was the love of his life, Chris said.
“The day he met Kimberley, David said to me, ‘I’m going to marry this girl, Mom,’” she said.
The couple had been together for 10 years and married for almost five. They moved to Terrace last September to pursue a dream of living closer to nature and raising a family up north. As well, Hall was pursuing his dream of becoming a helicopter pilot. After leaving his animation position to train, he secured work in Terrace as ground crew with a helicopter company.
“Although he wasn’t given the time to fully realize his goal of a career as a helicopter pilot, he was well on his way… This was not a matter of ‘what if’ but of ‘when,’ and it’s a comfort to know that David knew this also,” his sister writes.
Hall and Kimberley were “living their life in complete bliss,” his mom said.
Nearly 500 people have donated to the GoFundMe campaign so far.
Donors described Hall as “one of the good ones.”
“We will miss him more than words can say,” reads a post by the Annual Guys Fishing Trip Crew.
Marc Buzzell writes, “You have a heart of gold that will live on through your family.”
“David was such a happy, smiling person who always made those around him feel that much better,” writes Arlene Morris.
In addition to his wife, son, mother and sister, Hall is survived by his father Ron, brother Alex and other family.
A celebration of life will be held, however, a date has not yet been set.
