EXCLUSIVE: BC Lions player misses grandma’s funeral after cancelled Air Canada flight

CFL player Patrice Rene missed his grandmother’s funeral as Air Canada flights remained grounded due to an ongoing labour dispute

BC Lions defensive back Patrice Rene was very close to his grandmother Carmen Cange.

“She was the glue of the family in a lot of ways,’” Rene said. “She was the sweetest lady you could possibly meet. Made sure that everybody was taken care of, make sure that everybody had what they needed.”

When Cange passed away in Ottawa on Aug. 8, the family scheduled the matriarch’s funeral for the morning of Monday, Aug. 18, so Rene could attend the service without missing this past Saturday’s game against the Montreal Alouettes.

“I played for my grandmother, I had her in my mind the whole time. I know that she was watching over me,” said Rene. “I know that she would want me to play this game, and I really felt her presence with me.”

Riding high from the Lions’ victory, Rene checked his phone after the game and learned his Sunday morning Air Canada flight from Vancouver to Ottawa had been cancelled.

“I tried to call customer service, couldn’t reach anybody. Tried to email, couldn’t reach anybody. And then at that point, I’m just looking at the different flights, different airlines, just trying to find my best possible way to get to Ottawa. But unfortunately, everything was booked,” said Rene.

Out of options, the 27-year-old realized he would miss his grandmother’s funeral.

“The thing that hurts me the most is not that she passed. Everybody has their day and time, she lived a great life, she was older. But the thing that hurt the most was just not being able to be there for my family. Not being able to be there for my mom, not able to hug her on this day, after she lost her mother,” Rene said.

He was able to watch the service on a live stream that had been set up for extended family in Haiti.

“That’s a surreal experience in itself, just watching the live stream and seeing my family and I can’t even touch them,” said Rene. “Seeing the casket, it was crazy to know that I don’t get to see my grandma anymore. I missed my chance to see her.”

Rene said he’s not angry at striking flight attendants, adding: “I studied labor relations and employment relations. I understand what’s happening.”

He just wishes Air Canada was doing more for impacted passengers.

“They don’t really understand or try to really consider what the impact of missing a flight could be,” he said.

So far, an estimated 500,000 people have seen their flights cancelled.

For Rene, the impact was devastating.

“That’s going to be with me for the rest of my life,” he said. “I didn’t get to see my grandma get buried. I didn’t get to say goodbye.”