What Sandra Reimer remembers most about Dunbar Horsford is the smile on his face when talking about his three boys, and his wife Maria.
“He would just light up when he talked about them. He talked about how proud he was of his boys, and how well they were doing in school.”
Horsford, a 49-year-old migrant worker from Grenada, died on Monday, Nov. 9, after a workplace accident on a farm in Lincoln.
Since then, a GoFundMe page has been launched to help support Horsford’s wife and kids, where over 60 donations have already been made towards the $50,000 goal.
Reimer, a Lincoln resident, said her and her family became close with Horsford through the years, often chatting with him and his fellow workers while outside in the spring and summer.
“Dunbar has been coming here for about eight years to Canada. We got to know him because next to our house is the farm that Dunbar and the other guys worked on. When they were outside we would chat, and we got to know him really well.”
It was hard work on the farm, and Horsford would often be away from home for six months of the year.
But, according to Reimer, it was Horsford’s three boys, Mario, Miguel, and Daviel that kept him going.
“Their education is so important to him because he just wanted a bright future for them. That is why he was working so hard, and sacrificing so much time away from his family.”
Before his death, Horsford was less than a month away from returning home to Grenada, where he soon hoped to fulfil a lifelong dream, and have the wedding him and his wife Maria of 18 years have always wanted.
Reimer said Horsford was looking forward to seeing his family after another long season, and the big plans ahead.
"They had been saving for a wedding for years, and he had just recently purchased a ring for her.
"He just told me last week, I am going home to marry Maria and his whole face just lit up. He was so excited.”
After learning the news of Horsford’s death, Reimer reached out to Horsford’s wife Maria to express her condolences, and says the family has been overwhelmed with the support from the community.
“Their family is really feeling the overwhelming love and support right now. People have been so generous in their donations to the GoFundMe (account), bringing meals to the guys he worked with — just really reaching out.”
Reimer hopes the funds raised from GoFundMe will help Horsford’s wife and kids through this difficult time, as he was the main breadwinner for his family.
“He definitely sacrificed a lot to try and give his family a better life.”
– Grimsby Lincoln News
