Body in Humboldt Broncos bus crash misidentified

A tragic case of misidentification has revealed that one Humboldt Bronco hockey player is in fact alive, but leaves one family now gripping with the reality that their son, who they thought survived, has died.

Yesterday, it was believed that 18-year old Xavier Labelle of Saskatoon was among the 15 killed in Friday’s horrific crash between a Humboldt Broncos team bus and a transport truck. It was also believed that his teammate, 18-year old Parker Tobin survived the crash. But upon further investigation, the coroner’s office admitted that Labelle was still alive and Tobin was in fact, dead.

“I can’t even fathom, I don’t think enough can be said, all I can do is offer our condolences and sincerest apologies and sympathies in particular to the Tobin family on the news they would have received yesterday. A lot of these boys looked a like, they had the blonde hair that was supportive of their team in their playoff run, they’re very similar builds, very athletic since they were junior-A hockey players.” Drew Wilby, Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice.

The coroner’s office says dental records are the best way to identify bodies but those can take days, especially given that the players hailed from all over Western Canada.

Additionally, the GoFund Me page created in the wake of the tragedy continues to skyrocket, now nearly $6 million. The money will go directly to the Humboldt Broncos, it’s players and coaches affected by the crash.