The shock is great in the small town of Gaspé after the tragic death of a young family doctor and mother of three children in a mountain biking accident.
Courtesy photo
Frederique Belanger
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Passionate about physical activity, Frédérique Bélanger Ducharme was a beginner in this discipline. It was after setting out on a slightly more difficult trail that the 40-year-old woman lost her life on Wednesday evening, on the trails of the Éolien de Matane cycling club.
” At first drop [saut], she fell on her head and fractured her cervical vertebrae, then she died, ”breathes, in an interview, her partner Louis-Vincent Lemelin, two days after the accident which took his lover for the past 23 years.
According to Mr. Lemelin, who was not there at the time of the accident, his wife, who was wearing a helmet when he fell, had time to say: “I’m going to die, call 9-1-1”.
Courtesy photo
The tragic accident occurred in a track of the Éolien de Matane cycling club, of which a user can be seen here.
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“These are the last words she said. She was then transferred to [l’hôpital de] the Child Jesus, in Quebec, but the doctor said that there was nothing to do, “drops her spouse, upset.
A community in mourning
But it is not only her husband, her two sons, aged 5 and 7, and her 10-year-old daughter that Ms. Bélanger Ducharme is survived by, but the entire medical community in the region.
Arrived ten years ago for her residence, the young mother from Quebec City fell in love with the region and never wanted to leave. She worked at the CISSS de la Gaspésie, in Gaspé.
“Everyone who met her was marked by Frédérique. She was an exceptional and radiant person. So we have a lot of support from the community of physicians in Gaspé. Here, our friends are our family. It was a shock for everyone, ”shared the grieving father.
Courtesy photo
The club has set up numerous trails, both for beginners and experts.
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“Fred, she was the one who made me choose family medicine and Gaspé. It was with her that I was going to take refuge in difficult times. It is one of the pillars that held me after the death of my spouse, ”says Maud Gravel, one of the childhood friends and colleague of the deceased.
She presents her friend as “a radiant person”, endowed with a quiet strength that has always had a tendency to want to help others. “It’s no wonder she became a family doctor,” says Ms. Gravel, emotional.
Hope for change
Devastated, Louis-Vincent Lemelin hopes that this tragic incident will push mountain bike organizations and clubs to improve the regulation of their facilities (see other text).
“Unlike downhill skiing, for example, it’s not just snow that cushions you if you fall, it’s rocks and trees. The accidents are super serious. I do not think that [la vie de Frédérique] is the only one that will be broken if nothing changes. », Continues Mr. Lemelin, himself a regular in this discipline.
Uneven risk management in Quebec
The death of Frédérique Ducharme Bélanger highlights the dangers of mountain biking, while her spouse hopes that the tragedy will raise awareness among stakeholders in this environment.
“The centers are generally managed by non-profit organizations (NPOs) which do what they can with the means they have. The difficulty levels of the slopes are therefore not standardized, ”lamented Louis-Vincent Lemelin, the victim’s spouse.
Courtesy photo
The owner of the Phil Up Experience Montagne mountain bike school, Philippe Dion.
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Asked about this lack of generalized standards, the owner of the Phil Up Experience Montagne mountain bike school, Philippe Dion, confirms that there is a long way to go.
“Risk management is not the same everywhere. It is the NPOs that determine at which level each track is, there is not really a general standard. And there is no one who prevents you from going on an expert slope if you want to go there ”, explains the one who revolutionized free skiing in the early 2000s.
More confidence
In his opinion, it is also the assurance of beginners in this discipline, when they lack experience, which can be risky.
“It’s crazy what’s going on right now,” he said, referring to the many accidents and injuries. “It’s an extreme sport, yet people feel comfortable too quickly, and that’s where the problems arise,” said Dion, who runs his school in Quebec.
The renewed enthusiasm for this sport, the evolution of bikes and tracks over the years also have something to do with it, he believes.
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