Brad Zawislak with his wife, Helen Furuya.

Image Credit: GoFundMe

Brad Zawislak is sometimes seen as just the other victim in Kelowna’s fatal tower crane crash last summer.

But his family has been devastated by the tragedy that also cost the lives of four construction workers.

“On July 12, 2021, my brother in-law Brad Zawislak was killed when a crane collapse occurred at a job site next to where he happened to be that morning,” his sister-in-law Kelly Furuya wrote in an email to iNFOnews.ca. “Much of the media at the time reported his death as a footnote to the tragic loss of the four workers who also died on the job site that day.

“Brad’s death is not a footnote to that event and his death should not be treated as a part of that incident. He was an innocent bystander who did not accept the risks entailed in working on a site like that, yet paid with his life for whatever caused that crane to collapse.”

Despite it being more than a year since that tragedy happened, families of the victims have no information about what caused the collapse.

WorkSafeBC and the RCMP continue to investigate.

READ MORE: Deadly Kelowna crane collapse still an active criminal investigation: RCMP

“There is nothing that can be done to bring him or those workers back but, we ask that if anyone has information about the incident or events on site that day, please contact the RCMP,” Furuya wrote.

Even though it’s been more than a year, the pain has not gone away.

“Helen (Zawislak’s wife) and her daughters have been destroyed by his loss,” Furuya wrote.

A GoFundMe page he helped set up at the time described Zawislak as someone who was quick with a smile, fast with a joke and truly cared for others.

“Brad was an awesome, amazing, fun-loving character,” that post says. “His personality, humour, and unique style brightened the day for all those who knew him. He was the beloved husband of Helen, and proud father of Savanah and Zoe. He was a kind, giving and committed family man. He was a friend to so so many.”

READ MORE: A year on, still no answers for 5 families in deadly Kelowna crane collapse

- This story was updated on July 20, 2022 at 7:10 a.m. to indicate that Kelly Furuya is Brad Zawislak's sister-in-law.

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