Ottawa brother laments deadly 'freak accident'
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Just before he died on Tuesday, Brian Hay was where he loved to be -- up in a tree -- said his older brother,
Doug Hay remembers when he and Brian spent many days as young wannabe arborists -- tree surgeons -- paid to operate on nuisance branches with chainsaws. They didn't always get along, but the brothers kept an eye on each other and both had a cool enough head to work at heights.
Doug, now 41, eventually got into construction and demolition.
But his 39-year-old brother -- known by many as Busty -- loved cutting down trees.
He eventually opened his own business, Brian's Tree Service.
On Tuesday, Brian was killed when he fell from a tree he was cutting for a customer in Kinburn, Ont. Doug said his brother was possibly knocked out of the tree and crushed by the branch he was trimming.
"It's one of those weird freak accidents," Doug said. "My brother knew what he was doing. He wasn't one of those guys who trims a couple branches and says he's an arborist."
Doug, now a demolitions and construction worker, mused about the irony of having just completed a thorough fall protection course himself. The program is mandated by the province.
"Was he rushing? What if I was there? These are the kinds of questions I keep asking myself," Doug said.
Though he hasn't worked with his brother in a while, Doug said the two have been at heights many times before, never with any problems.
Brian wasn't just an arborist, Doug said. He was a comedian, a joker, and could make people drop to the floor -- paralyzed with laughter,
But he was also a husband and a father. His death leaves behind a wife, Malikah, and their two young children.
One of Malikah's friends from Calgary set up a gofundme page to support the family. In less than 20 hours, the page raised more than $3,500.
"The love he had for his family was unreal. For the last two years he was always talking about his kids," Doug said as he held a piece of paper containing details for the wake.
A cousin who used to work with Brian was present during the accident.
"I lost my brother, but I spent 40 years with him," Doug said. "I feel more for my cousin and my brother's wife, they need the help."
He said every time he looks at the computer he chokes up at the love pouring online from those who knew his little brother Busty in life.
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