Regina traveller who died in Japan being remembered as 'free spirit'
CBC News | Posted: July 23, 2018 8:00 AM | Last Updated: July 23, 2018
GoFundMe started to sponsor refugee family in his name
Jeremy Campbell was known for his adventurous spirit that lead him on travels around the world.
The 25-year-old from Regina died earlier this month while camping on the Island of Hokkaido in the north of Japan. He was visiting a hot spring one evening when he fell and hit his head. He drowned in one of the pools and wasn't found until the next morning.
Now, his family back home is trying to piece together the last months of his life.
His older brother Zach is using Jeremy's couchsurfing profile to find out where he was and who he was spending time with.
Zach said it's brought him joy to see all the people who have left comments.
"He was so open and everyone that met him just loved this guy," Zach said.
"Every cell of Jeremy was alive," one person wrote. "He is fun, full of good energy and easy to talk to."
"I don't think I have ever met a human being as full of good energy as this amazing man," wrote another.
Jeremy spent most of his adult years living a nomadic life, learning about different cultures and studying languages. Before his death, he had been working at a ski resort in Japan.
One of his friends in Japan found out about his death and contacted his family to let them know what had happened.
Zach works at Global Affairs Canada, a federal government department. Staff there was able to help the family get information from investigators.
Sponsoring a family
Initially, people stepped up to raise money so that Jeremy's body could be brought back to Canada for a burial.
Instead, Zach said his brother would've wanted them to do something good for someone else.
In his memory and in lieu of flowers, people have been asked to donate to a GoFundMe, to sponsor a Syrian refugee family of four to come to Canada.
Working with Regina Lutheran Refugee Committee, they aim to raise $33,000 to resettle Abdulnaser Alkhatib, his wife, and their two young children in Regina. All of the money raised will go to St. Mark's Lutheran Church Refugee Fund, which will be put towards the private refugee sponsorship program. The Campbells have also committed to give the family practical and social support during their first year in Canada.
If successful, Alkhatib will join his mother, brothers and sister in Regina. His family members were some of the first 25,000 Syrian refugees to be admitted to Canada through government sponsorship.
"I just know that Jeremy would be very proud about this and just the way to honour him to basically give another family a chance at a new life," Zach said.
A celebration of Jeremy's life will be held on Tuesday at Christ Lutheran Church at 4825 Dewdney Ave. at 2 p.m.
The dress code is "casual and colourful" to represent Jeremy, whom Zach described as a "free spirit."
"He loved humanity, he loved the world, he loved to learn, he loved to discover," Zach said. "He was happy, he was energetic, he was enthusiastic, he was passionate.
"Every positive adjective you could find would describe my brother."