He thought his best friend survived the Humboldt crash — but there was a devastating mixup

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Brandon Ewanchyshyn spent the weekend thinking his friend — Humboldt Broncos goalie Parker Tobin  —  was recovering in hospital.

But on Monday, he learned that there was a mistake.

Saskatchewan government officials announced that Tobin had been "misidentified" and was, in fact, one of the 15 people who died in Friday night's crash.

Xavier Labelle, a player who was previously believed dead, survived the crash and is recovering in hospital.

• 'Rest in peace, Tobs:' Best friend mourns Humboldt goalie's death
• Humboldt families 'grieving together' after coroner mixup

​Ewanchyshyn is the media director for the Spruce Grove Saints, and has known Tobin since they were about five years old. They were goaltender partners, or as Ewanchyshyn affectionally calls it —  "tendys." 

Ewanchyshyn spoke with As It Happens host Carol Off about his friend.

Here is part of their conversation. 

How did you learn that your friend Parker Tobin was not, in fact, recovering in the hospital, but that he had died?

I got a text on my phone from the news director at the local radio station here in Parkland county. He had broke to me the news.

Initially I didn't believe it, but I knew coming from him it was most likely true.

I found a news article online and I found a news story that was playing on the TV  that confirmed my fear.

So until then, you thought your friend was recovering in hospital, is that right?

That's correct. When the news broke about the crash on Friday evening I heard that Parker was being airlifted to a hospital in Saskatoon which is where he spent the night.

Saturday morning I received more information that he had a bad back and a bad laceration across his face. And then Sunday I got actually a full list of his injuries.

I even received a message that he was done surgery last night and then, of course, this morning waking up to find out that all that was in fact someone else.

I instantly burst into tears and it was a very, very tough morning finding out that it was a complete 180 of what we thought was going on the past couple days.- Brandon Ewanchyshyn

You must have had mixed emotions given that there were so many casualties, but believing that your friend was maybe going to be OK.

No matter how bad it was, he was alive and that was amazing for me.

He was lucky to be alive, so I thought, and I knew he was going to take the positive path of what had happened ... whether he was going to come back and announce some hockey games or work as a coach or do something else.

So what were your thoughts this morning?

I instantly burst into tears and it was a very, very tough morning finding out that it was a complete 180 of what we thought was going on the past couple days.

And yet someplace else, there's the family of Xavier Labelle who now know that their son is alive.  

Obviously an emotional roller coaster just like us.

I really wish that he makes a full recovery and he can still live the rest of his life as he would if this never happened.

You've known Parker Tobin since you were just boys, is that right?

We met each other at the rink probably 16 years ago given that I'm 18 years old. He's the same age as me. Way back in those little Tim Horton timbit days where we were just little guys on the ice.

We played together where I was the goalie for one game, he was the goalie for the next and vice-versa. Up until atom, and then we played together first year atom, second year atom. We played together in peewee, we played together in bantam, we played together in midget, all as goalie partners.

We had such good chemistry together that we could finish each other's sentences. We would sit together on every team bus, we would room together in every hotel room, we would sit together at the team meals. We would just do everything together.

What kind of person was he?  

He was an amazing person. He was very positive, very competitive, but at the same time, you could never really find something to say negative about Parker.  

If you were to go out into the community here, or go out into the community in the province and even now country and try to find something negative about Parker, you will not be able to do it.

He looks like he's got quite the sense of humour. You must have had a lot of fun.

He was always a joking guy. You know how goaltenders are before a game, usually focused up. They don't like to talk to anyone. They've got that stern game face.

Not the case with Parker.

Parker was that guy that would laugh and joke up to about 10 minute before game time. And then he would kind of turn his game face on.

It sounds like you really admired him.

I did really admire him. And I was really fortunate enough to be so close with him. I'm very, very sad to hear the news of what happened this morning.

Written by Sarah Jackson. Interview produced by Kate Swoger. This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.