Funeral services are being held in Charlottetown this week for two paramedics from Prince Edward Island who died in a highway collision in New Brunswick on July 7.
Deaths after Melrose crash
The two paramedics — Jenna Croucher, 23, and Mike MacKenzie, 56 — died when the ambulance they were travelling in collided with a transport truck near Melrose, N.B., about 12 kilometres southwest of the Confederation Bridge near Port Elgin. A patient being transported in the ambulance, Anne Martell, 77, of Montague, also died.
Services and public honours
Croucher's funeral took place this morning at the Delta Hotel in downtown Charlottetown. The service was private, but it was made available to the public via a livestream on the Island EMS Facebook page. MacKenzie's funeral is scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m., also at the Delta.
A private service for Anne Martell was held earlier in the week.
- Jenna Croucher, 23 — funeral at Delta Hotel in Charlottetown (livestreamed)
- Mike MacKenzie, 56 — funeral at Delta Hotel in Charlottetown, Friday at 2 p.m.
- Anne Martell, 77 — private service held earlier this week
Community response
Hundreds of family members, friends and colleagues attended Croucher's service. The loss prompted an outpouring of grief from the Island's emergency services community and the public, many of whom gathered to pay respects in person and online.
"She didn't just make friends everywhere she went. She genuinely cared about people,"
The remark was made by Jalyn Chapman, one of Croucher's bridesmaids, who described the large attendance at the Delta as evidence of Croucher's impact.
Practical information for the public
Officials have indicated the processions associated with the funerals will be observed by members of the public wishing to pay respects. Those unable to attend in person were directed to the Island EMS Facebook page for livestream access to services.
| Name | Age | Service | Funeral details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jenna Croucher | 23 | Island paramedic | Delta Hotel, Charlottetown — private service, livestreamed |
| Mike MacKenzie | 56 | Island paramedic | Delta Hotel, Charlottetown — Friday at 2 p.m. |
| Anne Martell | 77 | Patient | Private service earlier this week |
The collision occurred on July 7 on a section of highway in New Brunswick south-west of the Confederation Bridge. Investigations into the crash were ongoing at the time of the funerals.
This loss has resonated across P.E.I. and neighbouring New Brunswick, underlining the risks first responders face while transporting patients and providing emergency care on the province's roadways.
