Family finds comfort in faith as anniversary of fatal bobsled track crash approaches

Anniversary of C.O.P. tragedy nears Chris Epp speaks with family of Evan and Jordan Caldwell about their legacy nearly a year after their untimely deaths on the bobsled track.

The impact of the lives of Evan and Jordan Caldwell, the teenagers who died in an off-hours crash on the sliding track at Canada Olympic Park, continues to resonate within the community nearly one year after their deaths.

The 17-year-old Caldwell twins were among a group of teenagers who gained access to the bobsled and luge track at WinSport and attempted to toboggan to the bottom without realizing a metal gate blocked their path. Several of the boys suffered serious injuries when they collided with the gate. Evan and Jordan’s injuries proved fatal.

February 6 will mark the one year anniversary of their deaths.

On the morning of the crash, Jason Caldwell awoke under the assumption his twin boys were asleep in their rooms.

“That morning, when we got up, it was just a normal Saturday morning,” recalled Jason. “There were plans and goals for the day. When I stepped out of our bedroom, I suspected nothing because the doors to my kids’ bedrooms were always closed.”

Caldwell said he took time to read from his bible before stepping outside and encountering an empty driveway. The father of three soon received word that there had been an accident and he was told to make his way to the hospital.

“I stood on the sidewalk of the Foothills Hospital and a text message came in and it was from my daughter. She said the Calgary Herald is reporting that two boys died, there were two deaths at C.O.P. overnight. In that moment, I knew that it was Jordan and Evan.”

Officials soon informed the family that the brothers had perished on the track.

“It’s been a humbling year and a year of growth,” said Jason. “We absolutely don’t deny that our sons were doing something wrong that night. They were offside, they were having a night of fun with their friends, but they were out-of-bounds. All the boys know that. There’s no denying that fact.”

Jason says the family’s faith has been tested following the deaths.

“There’s no way to describe Evan and Jordan’s death but by saying it was untimely. We’ve become somewhat comfortable with the proper order of death; people get old and in the sunset years of their lives they pass on. This has been nothing less than a total reality check and a defining moment for us especially to our faith.”

“As I’ve searched for the message in all of this, what I’ve arrived at is this is a tangible story about the grace and mercy of God,”

The family continues to receive emotional support from the community. Stories shared by the twins’ former classmates serve as proof of the impact the boys had on the lives of their peers.

“Evan and Jordan, in the 17 short years of their lives, were exceptional,” said Jason. “So exceptional that there’s been sort of a shockwave of goodwill and kindness that has gone through the community through this past year.”

"My prayer is that the influence that they had with their peers is something that carries on. I pray that it’s not just going to be a legacy for the next 30 or 40 years, it’s going to be a legacy for eternity.”

In recognition of the way the Caldwell twins approached life, their former school, Westmount Charter, will host a Random Acts of Kindness day.

“Random Acts of Kindness Day is a day to celebrate their lives because their lives were defined by kindness,” explained Jason. “The source of their kindness was their faith and the transforming power of Jesus Christ in their lives.”

Jason remembers his sons as peacemakers who went out of their way to ensure new students were welcomed. “Several people have come up to me and said ‘Evan and Jordan were my very first friend’. That was their trademark.”

The Caldwells encounter constant reminders of the loss of Evan and Jordan but the father says the family takes comfort in their faith and the fact that they will be reunited with the twins in the afterlife.

“We don’t sorrow for them, we sorrow for ourselves. We miss them every day. There’s no question. It brings great sadness every time we get together as a family.”

In the days after the loss of Evan and Jordan, the Caldwell family spearheaded a fundraising campaign to support the survivors of the sliding track crash. More than $66,000 was raised to help cover the extensive medical and dental treatments of the injured teenagers.

With files from CTV's Chris Epp