The family of a 25-year-old Saskatoon man killed after a brutal attack with a pool cue in a southern Manitoba bowling alley has donated his organs.
Zachary Straughan’s heart, lungs, liver and kidneys will be helping five people in need of organ donations, his girlfriend Ashley Hague told CTV News on Tuesday.
“We’re donating all of his organs, because — as Zach was the person who always wanted to help — we know that he’s gone but at least he gets to help out some more people,” she said from the couple’s Saskatoon home.
Straughan was allegedly attacked by a co-worker Saturday night at Valley Bowling Lanes in Winkler, Man.
Winkler’s police Chief Rick Hiebert said an argument over a bill under $20 turned violent and Straughan was hit with a pool cue several times before he was knocked unconscious. A suspect fled, but was eventually apprehended at a nearby 7-Eleven.
He was pronounced brain dead Monday at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre and kept on life support to allow for the organ donations.
“It’s such an incredibly senseless, avoidable incident — something that has shocked our community, for sure,” Hiebert said. “I can’t even imagine what the family is going through.”
Straughan, who was a father of three kids from a past marriage, was expecting another baby soon. Hague is eight weeks pregnant.
“That’s the only thing that’s keeping me going,” Hague said. “I know he would want me to stay strong for the baby, and I know how excited he was for the baby.”
The couple had recently been discussing marriage, and Straughan had sent Hague pictures of engagement rings just days before the attack, she said.
“He wanted to do it.”
Straughan was always looking to help others, according to his girlfriend. He’d offer help regardless of personal costs.
“He was the sweetest person you’d ever meet. His number one priority was to always make sure everybody was content and had everything they needed. He just always wanted to help – whether it was me, my mom, or his friends,” Hague said.
“It didn’t matter what it was or how much it would cost, or how much work he had to do, he would do it.”
A pair of GoFundMe pages has since been set up in the wake of Straughan’s death. One is raising money for his children and for his funeral costs, while the other, set up by a co-worker of Hague, is aiming to raise funds for the couple’s baby.
Justin Leslie Bird, a 29-year-old man also from Saskatoon, is facing charges of aggravated assault and possession of a controlled substance in relation to the incident. Investigators are discussing with the Crown’s office about the possibility of upgrading the charges, according to police.
His next court appearance is set for Oct. 11 in Manitoba.
Winkler is located about 116 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg.
--- with files from CTV Winnipeg
