The tribute work on behalf of those involved in the tragic Humboldt Broncos accident goes on as the third anniversary of the tragedy arrives. In so many quarters, those who have survived the loss and heartache continue their efforts to better the lives of others. The family of Dayna Brons, the young athletic trainer lost in the days following the accident, has worked tirelessly to honour the memory of their daughter and sister, first through the Dayna Brons Memorial Award and the Hockey Gives Blood organization. Now, Carol Brons, Dayna’s mother, along with her husband Lyle and the Brons Family, are among the Very Important Patient spokespeople for the upcoming Critical Care on the Air Radiothon to be held by STARS Air Ambulance. The radiothon is scheduled for Saskatchewan radio stations, including 800 CHAB and Mix 103, today and tomorrow. 

Dayna Brons was present on the April 6 bus trip that was taking the team to its intended rendezvous with the Nipawin Hawks. It was Dayna’s dedication to the Broncos players and her pursuit of excellence within her profession that had her riding often with the team. 

Carol recalls that commitment to athletics stemmed from an early age in her sporting life in Lake Lenore. When the time came for choosing a career path, early on Dayna expressed an interest in the field of athletic therapy. She began her studies at the University of Regina, and with a transfer program at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Dayna received her certification as a Canadian athletic therapist. 

“She was always so committed to her profession,” says Carol Brons. “She worked so hard to achieve her certification. She was very involved in sports throughout her school days from a young age. She loved being a team member and played almost every sport there was.”

The variety of sports she participated in kept Dayna busy in all seasons, and that love of sportsmanship and team spirit kindled her interest in kinesiology study.

Dayna took on the challenges of her rigorous program with the same zeal she did in her sporting life, Carol recalls. She completed her formal training but continued to learn under the guidance of Saskatoon based therapist Neal Demmans and the Saskatchewan Swat lacrosse team. 

Carol recalls Dayna’s excitement when she secured the position with the Broncos in 2016.

“She took her job very seriously and was a professional. It was an all encompassing job; she had to work hard to keep the boys as healthy as possible. But she was also a sounding board for the days when things weren’t going well. She could take a joke, but she could pull a joke as well. She was determined, that’s for sure.”

It was Dayna’s supportive “big sister” approach to her duties that everyone involved with her recalls. At times, she helped weld the rookies into the team and serve as a support for those newly arrived in the league. 

Dayna Brons. (File Photo)Carol Brons vividly recalls the heroic efforts of the STARS team in responding the instant the call went in to respond to the crash on April 6. For the Brons family, STARS brought them the gift of time, says Carol.

“We’re incredibly grateful for having STARS in Saskatchewan. They made it possible for us to spend some time with Dayna before she passed. We had five precious days with her that not everybody had, and we can never thank them enough for giving her that extra time with us. They didn’t just impact our lives; they impacted the whole team’s lives.”

Carol credits the massive efforts on the part of the Calgary Link Communications Centre in co-ordinating, over an 8 hour period, the transport, the ground response teams, and the doctors in Saskatoon and the northeast region during the code orange alert. 

“I’ve watched videos of the STARS Emergency Link Centre, and it’s incredible what they do. The fact that they were able to do that for eight solid hours, not to mention calls that were still coming in from other areas.”

The equipment, the expertise, the blood supply, and the rapid response capacity are just some of the critical elements that make up the STARS brigade. Being from rural Saskatchewan, Carol says she recognizes the valued health care services provided by regional hospitals and health care centres. She also knows how vast the prairie provinces are, and when the time comes for services provided by larger centres, like Saskatoon and Regina, that every second counts. 

“STARS is a necessity. There are the hours and moments that can be saved, and in some cases in locations where it’s impossible to get a vehicle.”

The Brons family’s experience during the tragedy and with STARS service makes them the ideal spokespeople for the Very Important Patients in the STARS sphere. The radiothon was initiated to muster the funding vital to STARS’ operation in a year when their usual fundraising avenues aren’t possible. To find out more about the STARS Critical Care on the Air campaign, and to donate, click here.