A Squamish man who died after falling from a roof last weekend is being remembered as a loving husband and dad.
Andrew Pereman, 37, was flown by air ambulance to hospital in Vancouver Feb. 4 with injuries described as substantial after the fall from the Garden Centre roof on Mamquam Road.
Pereman was the father of two young daughters. He and wife Natalie were in the process of renovating the Garden Centre — transforming and expanding the business to include fresh farm food sales, on-site food cultivation and small food vendor kiosks operating in conjunction with the retail garden centre.
According to his friends, Pereman was dedicated to his family. He met his wife through their love of slo-pitch. They played together on a Vancouver-based team that travelled to participate in tournaments.
"He was a natural athlete and excelled at every sport he tried," said his wife.
Pereman also enjoyed the outdoors and liked to hunt.
Al Malayko, the acting B.C. Ambulance Service Unit Chief in Squamish, said at the time of the accident that paramedics were dispatched to the Garden Centre at about 12:30 p.m. and an air ambulance was called.
The closest landing spot for the air ambulance was the Mamquam Elementary School field. Squamish Fire Rescue and the RCMP assisted in keeping the landing zone clear.
Crowds of onlookers gathered on the Highway 99 overpass as the helicopter touched down at the school. Paramedics stabalized Pereman in an ambulance and prepared him for the flight to Vancouver.
Pereman was loaded into the helicopter less than an hour after the incident was reported.
After the helicopter took flight Malayko said Pereman suffered multi-system trauma with confirmed head and neck injuries.
A memorial fund has been set up in Pereman's name at the Bank of Nova Scotia in Squamish to support his two daughters, who are aged five and two.
A celebration of life is planned for Friday (Feb. 10) at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish starting at 3 p.m. The event is expected to attract Pereman's friends and family members from across Canada.
