‘She was a bundle of energy’: 17-year-old Rowan McLeod remembered 1 year after fatal crash

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Whether it was dancing in the rain or hamming it up with her teammates, Rowan McLeod brought energy and joy to every room, arena or sports field she entered.

“Rowan was a bundle of energy. Our house was louder when she was in it. She was just a lot of fun, like goofy. She always had her tongue out and was bugging people, or hugging people. She just had an infectious smile, and she could make anybody laugh with her,” said Rowan’s parents, Mike and Karin McLeod.

The 17-year-old Rowan was one of four Walkerton District Community School student athletes killed alongside their coach and teacher last May. They were all in the same vehicle that collided with a transport truck as they returned from a school softball tournament.

This past Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of the tragedy.

Rowan, who grew up near Chesley, was very involved in her community, working as a summer camp leader in Walkerton, while playing a multitude of sports. Hockey, softball, rugby, and likely her favourite, broomball.

“One of the things we realized about ‘Ro’ is that she impacted everybody she came in contact with in ways we didn’t even know. People would tell us stories after, about the way she would make them feel. People that she was friends with five or six years ago, they still loved and missed her,” said Karin.

In her memory, her family has started the Rowan McLeod Memorial Fund. Her parents say Rowan was an aspiring teacher, so they have focused their memorial donations towards local schools and youth sports teams.

“She loved little kids. She worked at the day camp, and she was a co-op student at the school. So, we just really wanted her foundation or fund to be used for anything that was for kids, or made kids feel included, or would make her happy, and proud of us,” her mom said.

McLeod’s family is also planning to install a commemorative bench at Centennial Park in Walkerton to honour Rowan. The hope is for it to be a hot pink bench, if possible, as it was Rowan’s favourite colour.

If nothing else, the McLeods want people to honour their daughter by simply being kind to each other.

“Tell kids when they do good things and not just point out when kids are doing bad things. Tell people that you love them, and how much you like them and what they’re doing really well. Because, like any teenager, I think she also wondered if people liked her, if she fit in, all of those things. So, I think it’s important we tell people what they mean to us,” Rowan’s parents said.

You can learn more about the Rowan McLeod Memorial Fund online.