Date de Décès: 2004-08-19
Date de Parution: 2004-08-25
Source: Northern Times, Kapuskasing, ON
The memorial service for 17-year-old Hearst student Ian Plamondon was held Aug. 23, 2004. He died at home, Aug. 19. Born April 3, 1987 in Hearst, he was active in École secondaire Hearst High Nordik soccer and track-and-field teams, and had also helped coach a U9 minor soccer team. A cofounder years ago of "le Club des rongeurs", he was nicknamed "cardboard box man" by friends from a camping incident and "Ian the Man". Although outwardly reserved, "when the time came to joke, you were always one of the first to speak," chum Stéphane Cantin noted in a tribute; "the few words that you spoke, you made them count," Jonathan Bussières recalled; while discreet in the classroom, among the 'gang' "it was often he who made everyone laugh," classmate Chantal Coutu wrote. For a Grade 9 English class project, he helped film a local version of the "Survivor" TV show. Interested in ancient history, mythology, literature, law and philosophy, he was an avid listener to classical piano music — he saw the movie "The Pianist" five times — and enjoyed playing the guitar, tennis, water polo, Risk and X-BOX. Although just in Grade 11, he accompanied a senior schoolmate to the June Class of 2004 prom. He leaves parents Chantal (née Dancause) and Denis Plamondon, and younger sister Christine, all of Hearst. Cremation at Hillcrest Crematorium was arranged by the Salon Lafrance Funeral Home. Directed by Rev. Rémi Lessard with much participation by high school friends of the deceased, the service at Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Cathedral drew more than 700 persons. Interment followed at the Monsignor Grenier Cemetery columbarium. In his spoken message to those present at the service, as requested by the deceased's parents, Rev. Lessard said that people need to stop and take time to listen to each other. "Suicide is not a desire to die, it's a desire to end the pain, to end the suffering," he said. Those suffering from inner pain "should turn towards someone and share the pain. Nonsharing of pain leads to solititude, solitude leads to isolation, and isolation leads to either depression or suicide. "So this (message) is an invitation to whoever is in pain to share it, and for the community to be receptive to (that) pain in a nonjudgemental way and share it with the (rest of) the community." Following the reading by friends of tributes to and anecdotes about the deceased, ESH graduate Tracy Salonen played Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" and twin sister Amy sang the 1977 Kerry Livgren-penned Kansas hit "Dust In the Wind", as per the deceased's wishes. Posted on 2004-08-25