CALGARY

WestJet whips up surprise for father of sick child

Colleen Schmidt CTV Calgary
Published Wednesday, June 4, 2014 11:21AM MDT Last Updated Wednesday, June 4, 2014 12:37PM MDT

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A Saskatoon dad was given an early Father’s Day present when a WestJet employee stepped in to take on his job for a week so he could visit his sick son in hospital in Edmonton.

WestJet partnered with Ronald McDonald house to reunited Marc Grimard with his young son Joel who is being treated at the Stollery Children’s Hospital for a congenital heart condition.

Joel, 4, and his mom Angela are staying at Ronald McDonad House Northern Alberta and Marc and the couple’s other son, Mathieu, are living at the family’s home in Saskatoon.

Joel’s care keeps him in Edmonton so the family is often separated for weeks at a time.

The Grimard’s are like many Canadian families who are struggling to make ends meet while caring for a sick child.

Marc is a transit employee in Saskatoon and can’t afford to take time off so Westjet and Ronald McDonald House found a way to give him a little time off without disrupting the family’s financial support system.

WestJet employee, Teodoro (Medel) Villena, surprised Marc at work with plane tickets to Edmonton and a five day break from work.

Medel trained with Saskatoon transit and stepped in to take Marc’s place so he could spend much needed time with his wife and both of his children.

“At Ronald McDonald Houses, our families and their children are our heroes. Every day we witness acts of courage and selflessness in the healing of a sick child, especially when a parent and child are separated.” said Cathy Loblaw, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada. “Together, with our incredible partners at WestJet, we were able to bring together the Grimard family, reminding us of the importance of providing a comforting and caring environment for families to be together, during some of life’s most difficult times.”

Marc and Mathieu boarded a flight and surprised Joel and Angela in Edmonton and spent several days together at Ronald McDonald House catching up and sharing big breakfasts just like they do at home.

“I don’t have the words to say how grateful I am, just a big huge thank you and very much appreciated," said Marc.

“Enriching the lives of everyone in the WestJet world is in our DNA,” said Richard Bartrem, WestJet Vice-President, Communications and Community Relations. “The chance to work with our WestJet Cares for Kids partner Ronald McDonald House Charities and local WestJetters to give the Grimard family quality time together is just one way we can demonstrate how caring makes a difference.”

To celebrate the importance of fathers, WestJet, Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada and the Grimard family are sharing their story with a video.

To help bring more Ronald McDonald House families together, for every 100,000 views the video receives, WestJet Cares for Kids will donate another flight, up to 500,000 views.