Man who died with wife and son in Alberta lake was a cautious person, says friend
CBC
An Edmonton man who died with his wife and eight-year-old son after their utility terrain vehicle went into a lake wasn't the kind of person to put his family at risk, says a friend.
"I would never, ever think he was the type of person to purposely put himself or his wife and kid in any kind of danger," Michael Occhionero said.
"To me, that's a freak accident."
Kelly Pelsma, 39, his wife, Laura Pelsma, 37, and their son, Dylan, were reported missing Christmas Day. They hadn't been heard from since Dec. 23 and were last seen in Alberta Beach, northwest of Edmonton on Lac Ste. Anne, on a side-by-side vehicle.
On Tuesday, RCMP said an underwater recovery team found the family and warned about the dangers of thin ice. Their bodies were found in the water along with the vehicle in an area near the Alexis Bridge.
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Occhionero, who lives in Idaho, said he and a group of friends met Kelly Pelsma at UTV Invasion, a gathering of side-by-side off-road enthusiasts, in 2018 in Idaho.
Pelsma's side-by-side had broken down and Occhionero said they helped him fix the vehicle.
"We had a good time with him, rode around, talked a lot, drank, had fires, and watched drag racing and stuff."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Occhionero said he and Pelsma talked on the phone a few times a month.
He and Pelsma reunited at this year's event in St. Anthony, Idaho. Pelsma also brought his wife and their son.
"It was just me and the three of them," said Occhionero. "We had a great time."
He said Pelsma was like a giant teddy bear who also liked adventure.
"He liked to live life on the edge, but I think all of us motorheads do to some degree," Occhionero said.
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