Her family and friends keep in mind her as somebody who would do something to assist others, full of empathy and a want to assist the world.
Jenifer Darbellay was certainly one of 11 individuals killed Saturday evening when an SUV plowed by a crowd of individuals at Vancouver’s Filipino competition.
Initially from Calgary, the place she graduated from St. Francis Excessive College and the Alberta Faculty of Artwork and Design, Darbellay had lived in Vancouver for a few years.
An accomplished artist, she was attending the Lapu Lapu competition together with her husband when she was killed, abandoning two youngsters, ages 15 and 7.
Former Calgarian, Jenifer Darbellay, seen right here together with her husband Noel Johansen, has been recognized as one of many individuals killed Saturday within the tragedy at Vancouver’s Filipino competition.
Courtesy: Marilyn Potts
Talking at a vigil for the victims on Monday, Darbellay’s husband, who was injured within the assault and attended the vigil on crutches, fought again tears as he described his household’s heartbreak.
“What you see right here is an damage meaning nothing to me as a result of what’s inside my coronary heart in damaged — as a result of my spouse handed away behind me on the incident,” stated Noel Johansen.
Earlier than shifting to Vancouver, Jenifer Darbellay, labored in costume design with Theatre Calgary and Alberta Theatre Initiatives.
Courtesy: Marilyn Potts
Whereas she was nonetheless dwelling in Calgary, Darbelly turned good buddies with St. Francis Excessive College drama instructor Marilyn Potts, now retired, and a mentor to her college students.
“We had been doing Fiddler on the Roof and I had employed Terry Gunberdahl, who was an area set designer, and our picture was to have this play designed as a Chagall portray,” stated Potts.
Get each day Nationwide information
Get the day’s high information, political, financial, and present affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox as soon as a day.
“So she got here in and he or she was just a little hesitant and Terry took a paintbrush and he reduce it in half and he stated simply paint these costumes like Chagall, and he or she did and it was sensible, it was the most effective issues we ever did and visually it was gorgeous.”
Former Calgarian, Jenifer Darbelly (proper), who was one of many victims from Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Competition is seen on this photograph together with her pal, former St. Francis Excessive College drama instructor, Marilyn Potts.
Courtesy: Marilyn Potts
Darbellay labored with each Theatre Calgary and Alberta Theatre Initiatives earlier than shifting to Vancouver, the place she earned a Grasp of Positive Arts diploma from the College of British Columbia.
However she and Potts remained nice buddies and their households would go to every summer time.
“She was … an outdated soul, she was so variety and so beneficiant and so giving and such a group participant and a superb instructor, so when she had her circle of relatives and he or she’s an outstanding mom … and spouse,” stated Potts.
Former Calgarian Jenifer Darbellay was often called an achieved artist and painter.
Supplied to World Information
Based on Darbellay’s on-line bio she labored primarily in acrylics in her house studio and costume designs in watercolours.
However she by no means forgot the place she got here from and sometimes donated a few of her works to assist increase cash for teams like Alberta Theatre Initiatives.
“She was so beneficiant. She was variety to everyone. All people was her pal. She would do the whole lot for individuals,” added Potts.
Because the tragedy, Potts stated she has been in contact with and acquired many messages from the scholars and others that Darbellay has helped through the years.
“Her mother and father are great. Her husband is nice. I really feel very unhappy for the whole lot that they’re going by.”
Marilyn Potts describes her pal, Jenifer Darbellay, who was was of the victims of Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu tragedy, as “as really distinctive human being.”
Courtesy: Marilyn Potts
However regardless of the tragedy and the lack of her pal, Potts refuses to carry a grudge.
“Certainly one of my former college students and her pal despatched me a writing that got here from someplace,” stated Potts.
“Noel, her husband, stated that that they had been discussing the day earlier than how in our world the place there’s a lot hassle and so many individuals wanting revenge — that we have to study compassion and we have to study to forgive — and Noel stated I wish to hopefully be capable of put that philosophy to work.”
“I believe she’d be very pleased with that,” stated Potts, “as a result of I by no means heard her maintain a grudge towards anybody or say something dangerous towards anybody. She was so open to everybody, it doesn’t matter what your faith, preferences, no matter. She was a very an distinctive human being.”
© 2025 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
Source link