Victim of fatal Hwy. 401 crash remembered for charitable and giving nature
CBC
Omar Barzak is being remembered by friends and family as someone who always gave back to the community, and who loved and was loved by those who knew him.
The 24-year-old's sudden passing early Friday morning has devastated loved ones, as well as those who knew him through his charity work, and his involvement in a long-running dance group popular on TikTok.
Barzak was returning to London from Mississauga early Friday morning, and was driving along Highway 401 near Ingersoll, when he was involved in a collision with another vehicle.
The crash occurred in the westbound lanes of the highway between Culloden and Putnam Roads around 2:15 a.m., Ontario Provincial Police said in a statement.
The driver of one of the vehicles involved, a 24-year-old from London, was pronounced dead at the scene, they said.
Police did not release the driver's identity, but Wasef Yasin confirmed to CBC News that the victim was his friend.
Yasin said he saw Barzak on Thursday as the two attended an event for a friend in Mississauga, adding that Barzak left late as he had work the next day and didn't have his work laptop with him.
"I was technically the last person to see him, and say goodbye," Yasin said, adding that the last words he said to Barzak were likely "I'll see you this weekend."
"He was like a brother to me. More than just a friend, more than just a member in the group to me."
Along with Yasin, Barzak was a member of the Al-Asala Dabke Group. The London-based dance group, originally formed in 2007, has more than 1.3 million followers on TikTok.
Both Barzak and Yasin appeared in studio on London Morning last month to discuss their concerns about a possible TikTok ban in the U.S. and how it would impact the group.
"We're all devastated. It was shocking. But we are trying to stay hopeful that he is now in a better place," Yasin said.
"He was a very, very good person here on Earth, and he loved doing charity work," he added, a reference to Barzak's involvement with the registered charity, Human Appeal, which Yasin is also involved with.
The charity started an online fundraiser through LaunchGood to honour Barzak, collecting more than $30,000 as of Friday evening.
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