Among those killed when a driver ploughed into a crowd at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival in the car-ramming attack in Vancouver in April was costume designer Jenifer Darbellay, wife of Hallmark actor Noel Johansen. His son, 15, and daughter, 7, also attended the festival together with their parents.
Both Johansen and his daughter were injured.
A couple of days following the tragedy, heartbroken Johansen, who appeared on crutches, said during a candlelight vigil, “What you see here is an injury that means nothing to me because what’s inside my heart is broken. Because my wife passed away behind me at the incident.”
He added, “She never celebrated herself in her life. She never thought of herself; she thought of herself as small in terms of the reach.
“And I can tell you she was larger than life for any of you who know her. So don’t be small in life, be big, reach out and reach out as a human being with everything you have and please remember us who went through this.”
Michael Daingerfield Hall, friend of the actor, started a GoFundMe page that has raised nearly $170,000 of its $200,000 goal.
Hall described Darbellay as “an incredibly thoughtful, warm, caring, smart, stylish, artistic woman.”
The devastated actor, who made appearances in Psych, Supernatural, Fargo and The Good Doctor, but is best known for the Hallmark movies Chesapeake Shores, Harvest Love, Reunited at Christmas, and Garage Sale Mystery: All That Glitters among the rest, fought to fight tears back when paying tribute to his late wife.
The person who caused the tragedy and killed 11 festival attendees, 30-year-old Kai-Ji Adam Lo, has since been arrested and charged with eight counts of second-degree murder, but more charges are expected, officials said.
A number of people have been killed and multiple others are injured after a driver drove into a crowd at a street festival at E. 41st Avenue and Fraser shortly after 8 p.m. tonight. The driver is in custody. We will provide more information as the investigation unfolds. pic.twitter.com/Iqh5AK5Au3
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) April 27, 2025
Acting Police Chief Steve Rai said the suspect was “known to police in certain circumstances.” He added he had “a significant history of interactions with police and healthcare professionals related to mental health.” Rai, however, wouldn’t disclose whether or not the suspect had a past criminal record.
According to BBC News, witnesses said that the man drove “completely straight, right through the crowd.”
The Bao Buns food truck’s co-owner, Yoseb Vardeh, was at the scene. He witnessed Kai-Ji Adam Lo driving with 100 km/h (62 mph).
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said the nation was left “shocked, devastated and heartbroken.”
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