January 15, 1999

A tribute for Mikey

Four-year-old Michael Semotiuk with his mother Jennifer and father Ryan DeCoursey

In a split second, Ryan DeCoursey's life changed forever on Apr. 11, 1998. Just days before his final exams, the University of Alberta English student was heading home from Leduc with his fiancée, Jennifer Semotiuk, and their four-year-old son, Michael Semotiuk. It was early Saturday morning, about 2 a.m. They were on 50^th Street.

A car ran a stop sign and collided with DeCoursey's car, hitting the passenger door on the driver side. Police estimated the car was travelling at about 90 km an hour. DeCoursey spent 11 days in hospital, in and out of consciousness, with three cracked vertebrae - one in his neck, two in his back - and eight broken ribs. His spleen and one kidney had to be removed. Jennifer escaped with a sore shoulder, back and neck.

Mikey, as the blond-haired and blue-eyed cherubic tot was affectionately called, wasn't so fortunate.The force of the impact broke Mikey's car seat and ripped his seat belt. He flew through the rear windshield and DeCoursey's car rolled over him.

"Someone tried to revive him at the scene but he died shortly after." DeCoursey's father broke the news to him in hospital. "I didn't believe it. I couldn't believe," said the fourth-year student. Slowly, the news sank in, said DeCoursey, when he realized his father, "a very decent man," wouldn't lie to him.

Then he heard Semotiuk's screams and DeCoursey knew she'd been told the news. That's when he passed out again.

The driver was impaired and later sentenced to three years in jail. The sentence didn't surprise DeCoursey. "I knew he wasn't going to get very much. It didn't make us feel any better.I feel betrayed by the whole system."

Eyes glistening as he strains to keep the tears from spilling, DeCoursey talked about struggling through the past year, a year of "firsts" - the first Christmas without Mikey.

"We try to support each other when we're upset...We spend time with family and friends. I work a lot; it sort of helps me."

One thing DeCoursey is working on is selling 1999 calendars in memory of Mikey. The proceeds go to PAID, People Against Impaired Driving. The idea came from, and was spearheaded by, Ken DeCoursey, his dad. He galvanized his friends and their sports models and '57 Chevys, found volunteers and sponsors for the project and also dipped into his own pockets to help finance it. "We all like cars," said Ryan DeCoursey, who owns a Corvette. "He [Mikey] couldn't help but like them, too."

About 3,500 out of a total of 5,000 have been sold so far at a cost of $10 each but the push is on to sell all of them, now that the end of January is near. If the goal of raising $25,000 is met, the provincial government will match the funds dollar per dollar. The DeCourseys wish to help offset the costs of producing a PAID video directed at high school students about the dangers of drinking and driving.

"This has changed my life," said Ryan DeCoursey, who is attending the U of A part time this year because it's all he can handle right now. As for life after graduation, "I might travel and teach English abroad. I'll have to find out what I want to do." Car calendars can be purchased through Campus Security Services. For further information, contact Rob Rubuliak at 492-5252 or view www.ualberta.ca/accpa/paid.htm.

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