Friends and family are starting to fundraise for the nine-month-old baby of Roxane Dubé. The 23-year-old single mother died after getting stuck between her board and a tree while surfing on the LaSalle Rapids May 22.
Her death was a great loss to the community.
“Roxane was super positive,” says Melanie Pépin, one of the Suburban’s advertising consultants. Pépin knew Roxanne because she was the cousin of her boyfriend, Dominic Cloutier. “She was a clown. She was always laughing. She made everyone laugh.”
The first event in Roxane’s honour takes place Thursday night at Le Skratch, 7803 Boulevard Newman, LaSalle starting at 7 p.m.
After that, there will be a giant garage sale in LaSalle on the weekend of the St. Jean Baptiste holiday.
All the efforts underway will help Roxanne’s mother Gisèle Claude care for her daughter’s baby while mourning. She needs diapers, food and other goods right away and the baby will need money for an education later. A daycare spot also has to be found as quickly as possible. Roxane was on maternity leave from both her studies and her part-time position at the Metro. Claude doesn’t qualify for parental leave until an adoption is completed. People are helping her complete the paperwork and other details, but it takes time. Roxane’s father, Stephane Dubé, helps out when he can, particularly on mornings when Claude works at 5:30 a.m. The baby’s father attended Roxane’s burial, but he’s since returned to a job in Nunavut.
To help, Pépin is starting a foundation in Roxane’s honour. For now, companies and individuals are free to drop off items for the family or for the garage sale at the Suburban office, 7575 Trans Canada Highway, suite 105.
Hugo Lavictoire, a member of the Lachine Kayak Club will also collect goods at KSF SUP Surf and kayak, 7770 boul. Lasalle in LaSalle.
For more information, refer to the Facebook page Pour-la-famille-de-Roxane-Dube. It’s at
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pour-la-famille-de-Roxane-Dube/487890401283343?fref=ts
Friends have made comments like: “there’s a new star named Roxane in the sky.”
The Montreal surfing community has also created an amazing video of their May 26 Hawaian paddle-out held in Roxane’s honour:
Note: This article appeared on p6 of the City Edition of the Suburban on May 29.
