Gaétan Derouin was born in Shawville on November 21, 1999, the only son of Jerry Derouin, a mechanic and Lucie Mutchmore, a local doctor. He was the oldest of three children, a big brother to sisters Élodie and Addie. Lucie and Jerry raised their family on a farm on Calumet Island where the children grew to embrace Lucie’s love of horses and passion for farm life.
He liked school and was a good student who took a particular interest in carpentry. After graduation, Gaétan enrolled in the carpentry program at ASTICOU and was awarded a scholarship from the APCHQ Outaouais. Humble to a fault, he did not tell his family about the scholarship until after his mother found the award in his room.
Gaétan loved music, loved to listen to it and loved to play it. He learned guitar in High School and continued to practice well after, eventually taking up the electric guitar too. Sitting on a rocking chair on the porch at the farm, he practiced chords, mastered new songs and made-up funny lyrics to old ones, sending his audience into fits of laughter.
Gaéten kept a tight circle of friends. Many of them he met in elementary school. Over the years, they grew to share a fondness for rock and roll music, fishing, cold beer and summer nights around the campfire. Everyone called them the Bryson Boys.
On summer breaks, he worked at Venturing Hills farm where he did carpentry and odd jobs, but on the farm, the horses would always occupy his mind. He took any chance he could to spend time with them.
According to his mother, Lucie, compassion was a trait passed on from Grandfather Derouin. Much like his Grandpa, Gaétan could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. He accepted people for who they were, not who they were not. He deeply and genuinely cared for his family, friends and the people in his life.
On the night of March 21, 2021, Gaétan answered a call from a friend in distress and was on the way to be with him when the vehicle he was travelling in left the road and hit a tree. He died five days later at CISSSO in Hull. His orgagns were donated to four people, three of whom are living a normal life today and one remains in critical condition. His tissue was donated to improve the lives of 40 other people.
23%
Canadians who have registered for organ donation
4,000
People awaiting lifesaving transplants in Canada every year
250
The average number of people who die each year waiting for a transplant
90
Percentage of Canadians who support organ donation
8
Number of lives saved by one organ donor
2
Number of minutes it takes to become an organ donor
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