'Always say I love you': Ancaster, Ont. mother on the grief of losing her teen son in a car crash
An Ancaster, Ont. mom is mourning her 19-year-old son who died in a car crash in Brant County on Jan. 21.
According to Ontario Provincial Police, the single-vehicle crash happened on Cockshutt Road just before 8 a.m.
Police said a 2004 Honda struck a hydro pole and one person was pronounced dead at the scene.
Shawna Hainer said she was devastated to find out it was her son Quinn.
She describes him as an amazing son and a great human being.
“He was very passionate about life, and his family. He just wanted to take care of everyone,” said Shawna.
His step-father said Quinn was working and saving up money to go to university.
“He had goals and ambitions and he had drive. He had it all mapped out,” said Jason Johnson.
Quinn’s family called him a caring soul who always put others first.
“There are not many people like that in world. He just made a difference, everywhere he went. Everything he touched,” Jason said.
On Thursday, at the scene of the crash, there was a memorial honouring Quinn.
A memorial to a 19-year-old victim of a Brant County crash is seen on Jan. 22, 2023. (Jeff Pickel/CTV Kitchener)
Cockshutt Road is now forever a part of the Hainer family.
They would like to see some positive change and are hoping a stop sign could be installed at the intersection.
“I hope that they put a few stop signs on that road so no one else has to feel this pain,” Shawna explained.
CTV News reached out to Brant County officials who confirmed they recently completed improvements on Cockshutt Road, including adding turning lanes at Burtch Road. A speed study is also planned for later this year.
“I want the people on that road to be heard finally, that there are no more accidents or deaths on that road,” Shawna said.
Despite the grief, Shawna said she finds solace in knowing her last words to her son were “I love you” and she’s encouraging others to tell the people they care about the same thing.
“Just always say I love you. Hold them and squeeze them tight and say you love them,” Shawna said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
W5 Investigates | How did a healthy teen die at a minor hockey camp?
The parents of young Ontario hockey player Ben Teague have been searching for answers since he died while at a team retreat in 2019. The mystery about what happened and the code of silence in hockey culture is explored in CTV W5's 'What Happened to Ben,' on CTVNews.ca and W5's official YouTube channel.

Donald Trump's call for protests gets muted reaction by supporters
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's calls for protests ahead of his anticipated indictment in New York have generated mostly muted reactions from supporters, with even some of his most ardent loyalists dismissing the idea as a waste of time or a law enforcement trap.
Conservatives forcing MPs to vote on striking new foreign interference study
In an effort to keep the foreign interference story at the forefront, and to do an apparent endrun around the Liberal filibuster blocking one study from going ahead, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is forcing MPs to debate and then vote on a motion instructing an opposition-dominated House committee to strike its own review.
6 missing after Old Montreal fire 'probably still in the rubble': Police
Officials are still looking for victims after a fire ripped through a building in Old Montreal last week, killing at least one person. At a press conference Monday morning, spokespersons for the Montreal police and Montreal fire department said six people are still missing. They come from various locations in Quebec, Ontario and the U.S.
opinion | Biden's Canada visit is long overdue and so are the issues facing the North American neighbours: expert
Questions abound as to why U.S. President Biden is only now making the visit to Canada, more than two years into his presidency.
Canada's among central banks try to calm markets after UBS deal to buy Credit Suisse
Some of the world's largest central banks came together on Sunday to stop a banking crisis from spreading as Swiss authorities persuaded UBS Group AG to buy rival Credit Suisse Group AG in a historic deal.
Woman suing Tim Hortons for $500K after hot tea spill left her 'disfigured'
An Ontario woman has launched a lawsuit seeking $500,000 from Tim Hortons after she suffered major burns from an alleged ‘superheated’ tea. The company has denied all allegations and said she was ‘the author of her own misfortune.'
China's Xi meeting Putin in boost for isolated Russia leader
Chinese leader Xi Jinping is due to meet with Vladimir Putin in a political boost for the isolated Russian president after the International Criminal Court charged him with war crimes in Ukraine.
Air passenger complaints triple in one year to pass 42,000 as backlog grows
The number of air passenger complaints to Canada's transport regulator is soaring, more than tripling to 42,000 over the past year.