'I feel like I failed him': Grieving mother hopes son's ATV death serves as wake-up call
Jennifer Quesnel | CBC News | Posted: June 12, 2017 11:01 PM | Last Updated: June 12, 2017
Drew Rossen, 19, killed in ATV rollover in Lanigan, Sask., on Saturday
A grieving mother in Lanigan, Sask., says she hopes her son's death serves as a wake-up call for her community.
He thought he was invincible. - Susanna Rossen
Drew Rossen, 19, was killed when he was a passenger in an ATV rollover Saturday evening, in a field north of Lanigan Central High School. He did not appear to be wearing a helmet or a seatbelt, his mother said.
Susanna Rossen said her son and his friends were drinking at a house party on Saturday evening and were planning to attend a graduation party later that night.
"Drew loved his friends," said Rossen. "He thought he was invincible."
Younger brother heard crash
Susanna said Drew's younger brother heard the crash while riding his bike nearby.
"He texted him, 'Are you OK, Drew?,'" she said. "There was no answer."
The coroner later told her Drew shattered his skull twice during the rollover.
The 18-year-old at the wheel of the side-by-side has since been released from hospital.
'It's not normal'
Rossen and her sons first moved to Lanigan, southeast of Saskatoon, 10 years ago. Initially, she home-schooled the boys, but later allowed them to attend Lanigan Central High School.
Although her sons were eager to fit in and make friends, Rossen worried about the level of alcohol consumption that seemed to be "totally acceptable" for most of the teenagers they met.
"There's two groups of children: the ones that go to church and keep their noses clean, and there's the others who live in a bottle," said Rossen.
"There's nothing in between. It's not normal. I feel like I failed him."
Don't drink and drive, pleads mother
Rossen said her son's behaviour was foolish, and called his death preventable.
"My son did not die a hero saving somebody's life. But please let him be that hero that saves your life. Don't drink and drive. Don't drink so much," she said.
The Horizon School Division said it has dispatched a team of counsellors and members of its traumatic events response team to support students, staff and families.
"With the accident occurring near the end of the school year, work is being done to facilitate support for those in need over the summer months," it said in an emailed statement.
"Our focus will remain on helping our youth and our communities deal appropriately with grief and loss in order to begin the healing process."
The school division said it was shocked and saddened by Rossen's death.
No charges have been laid. The RCMP said their investigation could take between one and two months.