Family of Manitoba woman killed in crash honouring her legacy with blood donations

CTV’s Maralee Caruso shares Olivia Michalczuk’s story and how blood donations were able to allow her family to be with her for her final moments.

Other than being born, there’s no more intimate moment in a person’s life than the moment in which it ends.

Thanks to blood donors, Olivia Michalczuk’s mother was able to be there for both. The 31-year-old and her long-time partner Royal Canoe bassist Brendan Berg were involved in a catastrophic head-on crash on Canada Day.

While the injuries they sustained ultimately claimed their lives, thanks to massive blood transfusions, Olivia made it to the hospital where her family was waiting before she took her last breath.

Remembering Olivia and Brendan

Olivia’s family remembers her as fierce, smart and straight forward.

“She was warm and inviting but very feisty and could be brutally honest at times but only because she had your best interests at heart and she was always on your team, always,” said Carlene Chuhie, Olivia’s sister-in-law.

Brendan, on the other hand, was known for being calm, curious and steady.

“They were really different people yet somehow they built this beautiful relationship together, and it was really neat to see, and I think they just filled each others gaps in just the right way,” said Bucky Driedger, Brendan’s bandmate.

While polar opposites in many ways, there was one thing they shared -- a love of music.

Brendan was the bassist of popular indie-pop band Royal Canoe and Olivia was a Ukrainian folk singer with Stepp Kolektyv.

“Olivia was great at being a fan, per say, in the crowd. She liked to watch the music and he was having the time of his life on stage performing,” said Olivia’s brother Russell Michalczuk.

Music may have been the basis of their bond but in the years that followed, the pair learned they also shared a desire to help others and were gripped by wanderlust.

So when they headed out on the open road this summer looking to do some camping and celebrate Canada Day, what followed was unthinkable.

Brendan and Olivia’s vehicle was hit head on -- leaving both with catastrophic injuries.

Olivia, who had extensive internal bleeding, was given donor blood as she was rushed from the crash site in western Manitoba to Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre where her family was waiting.

“We got to say our final goodbye and just be in her presence and just kind of get some closure in the situation we were in,” Russell said.

“It was definitely a hard situation to deal with and without the donations we wouldn’t have had that moment with her.”

Blood donors extended Olivia’s life so her family could be with her in her final moments. It’s a gift which has profoundly helped as they grieve the loss of her and Brendan’s lives.

It’s also a gift they’re now committed to giving others.

In the few months since their deaths, family, friends, and bandmates have helped bring in more than 430 blood donations.

“Feels like it’s something to inject some sort of meaning into this really senseless and weird and awful situation,” Driedger said.

Just as music brought Olivia and Brendan together, the legacy of their love and lives will continue to bring others together, whether it’s in their time of need through blood donation or through the music they made.

The importance of blood donations

Each one of us has about five litres of blood in our bodies.

When we donate blood, a little less than half a litre is taken.

Olivia received enough blood transfusions to replace her blood volume twice over, which is why every donation is so important.

This month, CTV News is asking you to be a hero by booking a blood donation appointment as part of our Hero in You campaign.

You can do that online at blood.ca or on the GiveBlood app. You can also call 1-888-2-DONATE to make an appointment over the phone.

When you do donate blood make sure to take a photo in front of the Hero in You sign at Canadian Blood Services and share it with us.