One of the four apprentice officers who lost their lives when their vehicle fell into the water is mentioned as an outgoing athlete who was proud of the hard work he did at the Royal Military College of Canada. “Andrei Honchiu had a special way of making people comfortable and behaved like a ‘well-trained class clown,’” his high school friend Noah Kim said in an interview. “He was just one of those people who would make everyone laugh.” Honciu, 22, was in the car with Jack Hogarth, Broden Murphy and Andres Salek when he entered the waters bordering the Kingston, Ont campus. Each of the men, who were about to graduate, died in the early hours of Friday. The National Defense Service released a few details about the fatal incident, saying only that the four lost their lives when the only vehicle entered the waters at Point Frederick on campus around 2 in the morning. The investigation is ongoing. Hoggart had military and strategic studies and hoped to be an officer in an armored regiment, the Department of Defense said. Murphy, a business administration student, worked to become an aerospace controller. Salek, a student of military and strategic studies, also wanted to become an armored officer. Honciu also studied business administration and planned to become a logistics manager. When Honciu was returning home from a vacation in Toronto, he often told his friends that the study was difficult and required a lot of hard work, Kim said. Honciu said it proudly, said Kim, who felt that his friend felt good when he faced the challenges. “These were small steps for what he ultimately wanted to do in the future,” Kim said. Kim said he was initially intimidated by Honjiu when he first met him in math class as a young student at Toronto North High School, but Honjiu took the initiative to break the ice. “We ended up chatting a lot in math class, probably chatting more than studying,” Kim said. The couple also enjoyed playing football and soccer together, motivating each other to do better through friendly competition. Kim said he will also remember Honciu’s affection for his little brother. After initially expressing doubts about how to behave around a baby, Kim said she embraced the new role and would share photos of the couple throughout high school. “Eventually he leaned over. ‘I’m going to be the best big brother ever,’” Kim said. “You know, it’s all very, very sweet. So you just know he has a big heart.” Prime Minister Justin Trindade said in a statement that his heart was broken for the families and friends of the four who lost their lives, while RMC Governor Josee Kurtz said the entire college community was devastated by the loss. A spokesman for the National Defense said details of any memorial service would be released at the request and at the discretion of the victims’ families. – From Amy Smart in Vancouver This Canadian Press Report was first published on May 2, 2022.
