'It seemed like a nightmare': Survivor of crash that killed 4 teens recovering in Winnipeg hospital
The mother of a 15-year-old girl recovering in hospital after a major car crash is thanking the first responders who pulled her from the wreckage.
Tanya Yurkiw says her 15-year-old daughter Hanna is a social butterfly with a smile that lights up the room.
Sitting at Health Sciences Centre Children's Hospital, Yurkiw explained while Hanna is in stable condition right now, she's only able to say a few words intermittently.
Yurkiw said she went to bed at her home in Dauphin Wednesday night after Hanna went out for a drive with friends.
She said she was woken by a friend knocking at her door around 11:00 p.m.
"I opened the door and he basically just swung the door open and yelled for my husband and said,' Hanna is trapped under a semi,'" recalled Yurkiw.
Yurkiw immediately left to go to the collision on Provincial Road 274 near Gilbert Plains, where RCMP say the car Hanna was a passenger in hit the trailer of a semi heading east on Highway 5.
While on the way to the crash, Yurkiw said she was able to reach Hanna on her phone.
"And she answered the phone, and all she said was, 'mommy, I need you, please come and get me.'"
Once at the scene, Yurkiw was stuck watching first responders try to pull her daughter out from under the semi-truck for an hour and a half.
"It seemed like a nightmare. Like a scene from a movie," said Yurkiw. "It's everything possible that you can never imagine and think you'd come across."
Yurkiw said Hanna is on heavy pain medication and is mostly sleeping, only waking up to say a few words or to grab a quick drink.
The other four people in the car, 17-year-old Riley Robak, 17-year-old Le Rouxan Niemann, 18-year-old Alexandra Watt and 18-year-old driver Christopher Swintak, are all dead.
"I grew up in Gilbert. My husband grew up in Gilbert. We both went to school in Gilbert. We know what it's like to come from a small town. My heart is going out back home," said Yurkiw.
Yurkiw said her thoughts are with the other families and is thankful for the first responders who helped her daughter.
"I think it's important to mention the firefighters, the paramedics, everybody there that night was truly amazing. My heart goes out to them as well. It wouldn't have been easy," she said.
Yurkiw said she's also thankful for all of the support the family is receiving.
She added she hasn't had a chance to tell Hanna what happened or about the other people in the car.
RCMP say it is continuing to investigate the crash. It said the driver of the semi-truck was not injured, and Mounties are not contemplating charges against him.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump charged over classified documents in 1st federal indictment of an ex-president
Donald Trump said Thursday that he has been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former U.S. president as he seeks to reclaim the White House.
Freeland's budget bill passes House after Poilievre pledges to block it
The federal budget implementation bill passed the House of Commons on Thursday, after days of Conservative attempts to block it.
Supreme Court of Canada won't hear unvaccinated woman's case for organ donation
The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear the appeal of an Alberta woman who was unwilling to be vaccinated in order to get a life-saving organ transplant.
Special rapporteur David Johnston cuts ties with crisis management firm Navigator
Canada's special rapporteur on foreign interference has ended ties with crisis communications firm Navigator, his office confirmed on Thursday.
How the lack of gravity in space impacts astronauts’ brain
What happens to the brain when you take gravity away? According to a new study looking at astronauts both before and after space travel, that experience causes physical changes that researchers believe requires at least three years between longer missions to recover from.
Are more interest rate hikes on the way? Here's what experts say
In the wake of the Bank of Canada’s unexpected rate hike, economists are pointing to further tightening in the near term.
'Tremendous amount we could be doing': Expert shares tips for preventing, adapting to wildfires
As wildfires rage across Canada in what’s being called an unprecedented season, one expert says there’s more that individuals and communities can do to adapt and prevent forest fires from causing widespread devastation.
10-year-old girl survives more than 24 hours alone in the rugged Cascade mountains after getting lost while out with her family
Rescuers in Washington state are praising the resourcefulness of a 10-year-old girl who survived on her own for more than 24 hours in the rugged terrain of the Cascade mountains after getting lost while out with her family.
Wildfire battles continue as heat, air quality alerts affect most of Canada
Air pollution from wildfires remained well above healthy levels across much of southern and northern Ontario and several communities in British Columbia and Alberta on Thursday.
Regina
-
Bear spray incident shuts down new Wascana Pool's opening day
Following a reported bear spray incident, Regina’s Wascana Pool was shut down on the day of its much-anticipated reopening.
-
'Gobsmacked': Court hears from Thauberger's ex-wife in decades long murder
The murder trial for Joseph Thauberger resumed Thursday, with testimony from his then wife Barbara Hayes.
-
Regina mayor says homeless camp was reaching 'critical point' before teardown
Regina's mayor says the city's fire department had growing concerns about the health, safety and well-being of those living in a homeless camp that was dismantled on Wednesday morning.
Saskatoon
-
'Men like to strike women': Judge slams culture of domestic violence in Sask. during murder sentencing
A man who killed his ex-wife’s cousin will spend life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years, a judge decided on Thursday at Saskatoon’s Court of King’s Bench.
-
Sask. man who endured school abuse says compensation denied over technicality
A man who suffered years of abuse at a day school on Poundmaker Cree Nation says he had his compensation claim rejected on a technicality.
-
Proposed tax hike in Saskatoon draws criticism from pundits
Tax increases proposed on Wednesday for Saskatoon’s next multi-year budget are drawing criticism from the business community.
Northern Ontario
-
Wildfire evacuation order west of Sudbury, Ont., expands, highway closed
A wildfire west of Sudbury, Ont., has quadrupled in size prompting evacuation orders to be expanded and one highway to close.
-
Another northern Ont. resident charged for illegal backyard fire, 5th in one week
A fifth person in northern Ontario has been charged in less than a week for having a campfire during the fire ban.
-
Settlements end $100M class action lawsuit by alleged Manitoulin Island abuse survivors
A $100 million class action lawsuit launched on behalf of alleged victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy on Manitoulin Island has been abandoned after the victims reached individual settlements with the church.
Edmonton
-
Coventry Homes ‘severs' ties with co-owner facing sexual assault charge; 5 women sue company
Five women are suing homebuilder Coventry Homes, after a now-former official at the company was charged with sexual assault.
-
Trump charged over classified documents in 1st federal indictment of an ex-president
Donald Trump said Thursday that he has been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former U.S. president as he seeks to reclaim the White House.
-
36-year-old rookie ready to make CFL debut for Edmonton Elks
The Edmonton Elks' new kicker is older than your average rookie, but the 36-year-old soccer pro said he's ready to tackle the next leg of his journey.
Toronto
-
Video captures bus plowing into stopped traffic in deadly Mississauga, Ont. crash
Video has surfaced showing a Mississauga, Ont. transit bus plowing into stopped traffic in a crash that left one person dead and at least eight injured on Thursday morning.
-
Toronto constable demoted for role in cheating promotions exam
An officer who admitted to playing a part in a scheme to cheat the Toronto Police Service promotions procedure has been temporarily demoted instead.
-
Girl rescued from burning home in Brampton last week has died: OFM
A girl rescued from a burning home in Brampton last week has died in the hospital, Ontario's fire marshal said on Friday.
Calgary
-
Heat spell, dry season hurting western Alberta crops
The extreme heat and lack of precipitation is being felt on farms across Alberta, and there's a high probability of it hurting this year's yield.
-
Police investigating after Ogden home targeted by anti-Semitic graffiti three weeks straight
After the first incident left a Nazi symbol on his election lawn sign, Jordan Barrett thought it was just someone upset about his voting intentions.
-
Charges pending against Langdon, Alta. man in fatal attack
A 31-year-old resident of Langdon, Alberta, faces charges in relation to a fatal assault.
Montreal
-
Quebec wildfire situation 'stable' for coming days; evacuees stuck until next week
Quebec's precarious wildfire situation is expected to remain stable over the next 48 hours but residents displaced by the raging forest fires likely won't be able to return home until early next week, Premier Francois Legault said Thursday.
-
Man accused of Claudia Iacono killing was arrested the next day in Ontario on drug charges
An Ontario man charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in the death of Claudia Iacono, the daughter-in-law of the late Montreal Mafia associate Moreno Gallo, was arrested the day after the killing in Ontario on unrelated drug charges, public records show.
-
Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre opens up about life after stroke, depression
Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre, who spent his life in politics, collapsed and suffered a stroke on April 11, and even as he's slowly recovering, the fighter's instinct, that he's known for, is very much alive.
Ottawa
-
Hydro capacity 'tightness' could cause energy shortfalls in Ontario this summer, report warns
Ontario’s electricity grid could be in a precarious spot, especially when demand spikes in a heat wave, according to a new report.
-
Air quality improves over Ottawa, but smoky skies could return on Friday
People in the Ottawa-Gatineau area are breathing fresher air, as smoke and haze from wildfires in northern Ontario and Quebec moves out of the area.
-
Rising interest rates making 30-year amortization more popular for homebuyers
As interest rates continue to rise, the cost of buying a house in Ottawa and across Canada is becoming more expensive. Many homeowners are now forced to extend their mortgage payments.
Atlantic
-
Higgs government faces caucus revolt over changes to LGBTQ school policy in N.B.
New Brunswick students under the age of 16 who identify as trans and non-binary won't be able to officially change their names or pronouns in school without parental consent.
-
Halifax says more residents can return home Friday after wildfires
The Halifax Regional Municipality says it will announce Thursday when more residents can return to their homes in communities impacted by the Tantallon wildfires.
-
'People are maxing out their credit cards' – Evacuees call for extra emergency money in wildfire aftermath
Evacuees throughout Nova Scotia are calling on the province for more money in the aftermath of wildfires.
Kitchener
-
Six Nations’ Brandon Montour flew home for son's birth between playoff games
Scoring the opening goal of game three of the Stanley Cup finals wasn’t the only celebration Florida Panthers defenceman Brandon Montour was a part of this week.
-
Burping bovine: University of Guelph researchers develop tool to predict how much methane a cow will belch out
University of Guelph (U of G) researchers have been looking at ways to breed dairy cows that burp out less methane, a harmful greenhouse gas emission contributing to climate change.
-
SUV smashes into Kitchener LCBO
Police say no one was seriously hurt when an SUV crashed into the front door of an LCBO in south Kitchener Thursday.
Vancouver
-
Northeastern B.C. community of 2,400 ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
Tumbler Ridge, a community with a population of 2,400 in northeastern B.C., has been ordered to evacuate Thursday due to the danger posed by an encroaching wildfire.
-
'Blame to go around': BC United accepts role in Surrey hospital crisis while pledging investment
A day after the NDP government presented its 30-point plan to address the crisis at Surrey Memorial Hospital, the official Opposition is pledging to build a tower, while acknowledging their role in the situation.
-
Sunshine Coast mayor wants province to help prevent another devastating drought
As B.C. continues to see unseasonably hot and dry conditions, there are growing drought concerns on the Sunshine Coast.
Vancouver Island
-
Port Alberni wildfire rages on with no timeline to reopen crucial highway
The mayor of Port Alberni says she does not expect the highway to reopen for several days at least, and she is asking the province to open more forestry roads to truck in much-needed supplies to communities west of the wildfire.
-
Grizzly bear photographed on Vancouver Island in rare sighting
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) is warning residents of a grizzly bear that's been spotted in the Port McNeill area of Vancouver Island.
-
Serious crash blocks major street into downtown Victoria
Two people were taken to hospital following a serious collision on Blanshard Street just outside of downtown Victoria.