Ottawa Police have named the three people who were killed in Friday's deadly bus crash at Westboro Station.
57-year-old Judy Booth, 56-year-old Bruce Thomlinson, and 65-year-old Anja Van Beek (pictured above, left to right), died after the Route 269 double-decker bus slammed into the Westboro Station overhang Friday afternoon.
23 other people were injured in the crash, some critically, though the Ottawa Hospital says all patients in critical condition have since been upgraded to serious condition.
The photos above were provided by the Ottawa Police Service and shared with permission from the families.
“The identification of those who died is a difficult and important process and I want to offer the condolences of the Ottawa Police and our entire community," said Chief Charles Bordeleau in a press release. “We have worked to support the families and loved ones of those involved and will continue to be there for them.”
Ottawa Police have released the following statements from the families:
Bruce Thomlinson:
We are devastated by the loss of Bruce and our condolences go out to the other families affected by this same tragedy.
We want to thank the public for their thoughts and prayers.
Bruce was dedicated to his family and will be missed by his wife and his two boys, and extended family and friends.
He was the husband and father that gave us great joy in life through his silliness, sense of humour and love of the outdoors.
We ask that you respect our privacy as we mourn the loss of Bruce during this difficult time.
Judy Booth:
This tragedy has shaken our family deeply.
We thank everyone for their kind words and best wishes during this difficult time.
Judy was a cherished wife to Ches and loving mother to both of her girls, Holly and Karen.
She was an absolute treasure and a beautiful soul that will be profoundly missed by her family and many friends.
We ask that you respect our privacy as we grieve the loss of our wife and mother.
Anja Van Beek:
Anja Van Beek resided in Kanata with her husband and two daughters. She was a Federal Government employee on her way home from work Friday afternoon, on OC Transpo's Bus 269.
She leaves behind extended family in Ottawa, Toronto and the Netherlands.
As you can understand, her family is grieving and would appreciate if you respected their privacy.
For one of the victims, Judy Booth, 57, hoping on Route 269 to Kanata was what she did for years, after her days work at the National Capital Commission (NCC).
“It was her regular bus,” Booth’s husband Chesley tells CTV.
Chesley was notified of his wife’s death around 2 o’clock Saturday morning.
Chesley says Judy retired from the NCC “a couple of years ago” but worked on contract a “couple of days a week”.
The couple, just married nearly five-years ago, had big plans for retirement. For Judy it was her second marriage, she has two daughters and one grandchild and was looking forward to the future, for Chesley it was his first marriage and says he “waited all those years” to find his soulmate.
He says his wife was kind with a big heart, always helping others, he says proof of that was in a story by the Peterborough Examiner back in 2017 featuring Judy. After her mother’s death, Judy had discovered a pin in her jewelry box, and made her mission to return the keepsake to the rightful owner. She did.
All three families have asked for privacy, Ottawa Police plan to send out family statements Monday afternoon.
With files from CTV Ottawa.