On July 14, 2021, Matt and Jennifer Cammaert tragically lost their 13-year-old daughter Quinn in a boating collision on Lake Rosseau.
It was later found out that the operator of the other boat was impaired.
Nearly five years later, Cammaert has decided to share a bedtime story he created for Quinn and her brother Henry when they were little with the hopes that it brings awareness to impaired driving, and the devastating loss that comes with it.
The story, titled “The Dinosaur and the Whales,” is about adventure, friendship, love, and the memories that stay with us forever.
“I decided to write it with my son’s encouragement,” Cammaert said. “Ultimately, I wanted to honour her and preserve her memory. It’s also an effort to hopefully keep people talking about her and who she was, whether that’s friends, family, or people who didn’t even know her.”
Cammaert described his daughter as an athletic, smart, very personal kid. He says that Quinn had a variety of friend groups because she hated to see people alone, whether it was at school or on the tennis court.
“People over the years have said to me ‘Whenever Quinn’s in the room, she always made it brighter and she always made it happier,’ and she didn’t do that in a way that was forced, it’s just who she was.”
According to the Government of Ontario, impaired driving is the leading cause of death on Ontario roadways. In 2021, there were 182 deaths caused by impaired driving, a number that saw a 14 per cent increase in 2022. On the water, 40 per cent of boating fatalities are directly related to impaired operation.
Cammaert said that while the statistics are very necessary and that people need to be aware of them, he knows that they can feel cold.
“People can’t relate to a number, but they can relate to a story. That’s what ultimately made me decide to share this very personal story with a broader audience. Hopefully it has an impact on people and how they made a decision when they’re about to get behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle.
All net proceeds from book sales will be donated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving to support families affected by impaired driving and prevent future tragedies.
The Dinosaur and the Whales can be purchased on Amazon.
