WALKERTON, ONTARIO — A deep wave of grief has swept through the close-knit community of Walkerton following a devastating crash on Friday, May 23, that claimed the lives of five members of the local school community.
The collision occurred at the intersection of Cobble Hills Road and Thorndale Road, north of London, where an SUV carrying four teenage girls and their teacher collided with a tractor trailer. All five occupants of the SUV died at the scene. They were on their way home from a school softball tournament in Dorchester.
The victims have been identified as Matt Eckert, a beloved teacher and coach at Walkerton District Community School, and students Olivia Rourke, Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, and Danica Baker. Though Ontario Provincial Police have not officially released the names, CTV News confirmed them through friends and community members.
Eckert was widely known not only as an educator but also as an assistant coach with the Owen Sound Junior B Northstars Lacrosse Club. His mentorship extended far beyond the classroom and playing fields, touching the lives of countless young people. The four girls, all students at Walkerton District Community School, were active in sports and well-loved by peers and teachers alike.
In the wake of this unimaginable loss, the community came together for a candlelight vigil on Sunday evening at Walkerton District Community School. More than 1,000 people stood shoulder to shoulder in the school’s parking lot and adjacent sports field, honoring the lives lost in silence, with candles flickering and tears falling.
“It was difficult to walk up here,” said Kerri Lowe, a Walkerton resident whose social media post helped organize the vigil. “Not only because of the amount of people—that was unexpected to begin with—but just to see the levels of grief and the emotions coming from our teenagers and our community all the way up to the elderly. Everyone’s affected by this, being such a small town.”
Few words were spoken during the vigil, aside from quiet prayers. Attendees laid flowers, candles, and notes at the front steps of the school. The silence carried weight—a shared pain too heavy for words, but eased, if only slightly, by the comfort of community presence.
Lowe, who moved to Walkerton a decade ago, said she was drawn to the town for its sense of community and connection. “We wanted to be in a town where community and family go hand in hand. And we got that in Walkerton,” she said.
In the days ahead, residents are being encouraged to place sneakers on their front steps as a symbol of remembrance and solidarity. It’s a simple but heartfelt gesture, one that captures the innocence and promise of the young lives lost, and the lasting legacy of a teacher who inspired so many.
Classes at Walkerton District Community School resumed Monday under the weight of profound sorrow. To support students and staff, grief counsellors and the Bluewater District School Board’s mental health team were on site.
“It’s going to be a very heavy week here,” said Jamie Pettit of the BWDSB. “Ensuring that the staff are feeling supported and are able to gather and share their grief and their thoughts together, so that they’ll then be able to support the students as they return to school.”
For many families, like that of one parent who shared, “My son goes to the school here. It’s going to be absolutely just disheartening for so many people on Monday,” the pain feels personal, as if the whole town has lost part of itself.
The tragedy has reverberated across midwestern Ontario, with many coming from surrounding towns to pay their respects. The response—silent vigils, flowers, prayers, and sneakers on porches—is a testament to the deep love and respect for the five lives lost, and the strength of a community choosing to grieve, remember, and support one another together.
In the face of tragedy, Walkerton stands united. The loss is immeasurable, the grief still raw—but so too is the love, the compassion, and the enduring legacy of those who are gone but never forgotten.