Inside the Elgar Petersen Arena, moments before the video tributes began (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW staff)

By Ben Tompkins

Fifth anniversary

‘Seems like just a flash ago’: Former Bronco’s parents take part in 5-year anniversary ceremony

Apr 6, 2023 | 8:50 PM

The City of Humboldt honoured the 2017/18 Broncos team earlier on Thursday as it marked the fifth anniversary of the tragic bus crash.

Roughly a 20-minute video compilation was played up on the jumbotron in the Elgar Petersen Arena, as community members, friends, family, and everyone in between, paid their respects.

Jacob Leicht’s parents, Celeste and Kurt, were in attendance and spoke to northeastNOW following the event.

“It just blows my mind, seems like an eternity, but seems like just a flash ago, all at the same time, it’s hard to wrap my mind around it,” said Celeste.

“It hasn’t been easy at all for us to be in this space, in the Elgar Peterson Arena, and it’s slowly lifting, still a source of pain but a source of comfort all at the same time too, it’s changing, grief is complex.”

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The tribute included videos from the current Broncos team, as well as messages from all the existing members of that fateful day.

Celeste, who was also a member of the planning committee, explained that it actually becomes a positive aspect of her journey.

“Somehow it brings healing that I can be part of discussions with that group,” she said. “We’ve got a good little core group that kind of does what we think will bring healing to us as families and to our community.”

Church bells at St. Augustine Church also rang a total of 29 times, and a one-to-two-minute moment of silence was also done.

St. Augustine Church (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW)

With each Apr. 6, Celeste is learning that time does heal, no matter how slowly it happens or how long it may take.

“The trauma, it’s just now feeling like it’s beginning to lift, not just with time by any stretch, but with lots of effort, lots of hard work and prayers,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of people lifting us up, but it’s taken some effort on our part to be responsible for our own mental health and well-being, it’s all part of it.”

She had one final simple message for everyone moving forward.

“I think the best way to honour the 2017/2018 Broncos is for everyone to just put their best foot forward and do good for other people, and that includes ourselves.”

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