Jean Lapierre's children, friends 'overcome with grief'
Political pundit's children, extended family thank everyone for 'flood of tributes'
Jean Lapierre's children say they have lost their "rock."
Lapierre's family released their first public statement since Tuesday's crash that killed the political commentator and former federal cabinet minister, his wife, three of his siblings and the two pilots on Quebec's Magdalen Islands.
They had been on their way to prepare for the funeral of Lapierre's father, Raymond.
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Lapierre's children say they "have been deeply moved by the flood of tributes to [their] father."
"He was our rock, our anchor, and a great dad and grand-dad...Salut, salut, papa. We love you and your memory will be with us always," wrote his two children, Marie-Anne and Jean-Michel.
The extended families of the victims wrote, "words cannot express the pain that has afflicted our families," since the crash and thanked first responders, medical staff and the Magdalen Islands community for their support.
Lapierres' extended families offer 'word of thanks'
"Words cannot express the pain that has afflicted our families since yesterday. In this time of grief, we sincerely thank all the people who have sent us kind words and thoughts following the deaths of our beloved Jean Lapierre, Nicole Beaulieu, Martine Lapierre, Marc Lapierre and Louis Lapierre.
Your messages give us strength. We thank the emergency responders, medical personnel and residents of the Magdalen Islands for their professionalism and compassion. We have been touched by their dignity and solidarity.
They have done Magdalen Islanders proud. We are also saddened by the deaths of the members of the crew, Pascal Gosselin and Fabrice Labourel. Our thoughts are with their loved ones."
— signed the Lapierre, Beaulieu, Boudreau and Brillant families
Jean Lapierre's hometown 'overcome with grief'
Villagers in Bassin, the town of 1200 on Amherst Island where Lapierre was raised, remember him as a "brilliant" student and friend.
People who grew up with the political commentator and former cabinet minister say he always stayed connected to his hometown. Many say they are "overcome with grief."
We are proud of him. Magdalen Islanders are proud of him,- Lapierre's friend and old neighbour, Anne-Marie Cyr
"When we found out it was him, I had goose bumps," said Anne-Marie Cyr about the moment she learned of the fatal plane crash that killed all seven aboard.
"Jean was our neighbour, and for his mother, it's very, very tragic," Cyr said.
Cyr went to school with Lapierre in Bassin, and she remembers the prediction her teacher made about Lapierre.
"He said, 'Jean, I'm sure you are going to become an MP.'"
He went on to become Canada's youngest member of parliament, a federal cabinet minister and a political commentator.
"He was always very brilliant, very smart," Cyr said of the man who was elected high school president.
"We are proud of him. Magdalen Islanders are proud of him," said Cyr.
Lapierre's teacher remembers 'a brilliant student'
Lapierre's high school history teacher at the École Polyvalente des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Urbain Renaud, remembers a student who wanted to know about everything.
"He was an exceptional student, and I'm not saying that to boast. That was that," Renaud said.
Sometimes, Renaud said, he had to warn the young Lapierre to calm down because he would ask too many questions.
"Other students couldn't ask questions," he recalled.
"'Give a chance to the others, Jean,'" Renaud said he would tell his student.
At one point, Renaud said he punished him by placing Lapierre's desk next to his.
"'Don't become scatterbrained, because you'll fail,'" Renaud said he told him.
"But that never happened. He did really well for himself."
Fondation Madeli-aide
Renaud also described Lapierre as a person who gave back to his community.
When the organization Fondation Madeli-aide was formed in 1998 to provide grants to Magdalen Islanders who wanted to pursue post-secondary studies off-island, Lapierre used his contacts to organize a 5 à 7 to fundraise for the new foundation.
"One cheque for a thousand here, another for two thousand there," recalled Renaud. By the end of the event, Lapierre had raised $45,000 for the new charity.
"The Islands were always part of his life, and they were his place," said Renaud.
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