By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
BEACHBURG — A freak accident has claimed the life of a Beachburg man while skiing in Japan.
It’s a phone call no brother wants to get, but Joel Kowalski did receive it. His brother Marc Leblanc, who had been living and working in Japan for about two years, was back-country skiing on Friday, March 11 with a friend/former student, when he died after slipping down a slope and striking his head.
Joel recalls what Byron Corbett told him.
The two were on a back country skiing trip behind Nozawa Onsen Snow Resort near Nagano, Japan. They got caught in fog and ended up going the wrong way. There was some ice beneath a skiff of snow that Marc could not see. His ski hit the ice and he fell down the slope, striking his head.
Byron took off his skis and tried to reverse climb down the slope, but found it too dangerous so, leaving his best friend behind, went in search of help.
“It was just a freak accident,” Joel said, adding, “Marc was very skilled in back-country skiing.”
There was no question what the next steps were, he said. He and his brother, Joseph Leblanc, booked tickets to Nagano, Japan, not only to bring their brother home, but to help Byron. Joel noted that not only was Byron a friend of Marc’s, he was also a former student through the Outdoor Adventure Program at Algonquin College.
Upon arriving in Japan, the two brothers had to negotiate their way through officials to get the death certificate, have their brother cremated, pack up his belongings and return home.
But, there was one thing they had to do that wasn’t official.
“We hiked out to the mountain where Marc died,” Joel said.”
Joseph added, “We had to be there.”
They shared some memories and left a beer and a painting done by friend Adam Dupuis, who now lives in Taiwan but grew up on La Passe Road.
“It was an express trip,” Joel said.
With tears in his eyes, Joseph said his brother was someone many people looked up to. He didn’t shy away from life, climbing Mount Everest with friend Ben Shillington, paddling the Grand Canyon four times, including once with Joel and once in two-and-a-half days by himself; and traversing across Lake Winnipeg in the dead of winter, as he was preparing for a trip to the Antarctic — a trip that will now never happen.
While talking, their mom Susan placed two binders on the table in front of her two sons. One is the story of her son Marc climbing Mount Everest and the other was the trip across Lake Winnipeg.
Joel said Marc was a guy that people just loved. He recalled his brother standing in a wedding in India, after only having been there a short time. “That’s how fast he made friends,” he said. And while in Japan less than two years, he was fluent in the language.
“He lived life to the fullest,” Joel said. “He was always pushing himself.”
Joseph said, “Nothing was impossible for him.”
Joel said, “He was always coming up with wild ideas all the time. He had the attitude of ‘why not do it?’”
He was a people person and could talk individuals into challenging themselves, Joseph said.
“He was a natural leader, a coach,” he said. “He inspired others.”
Throughout his 37 years, Marc was a bungee master who had worked on bungee jumps, not only at Wilderness Tours, but around the world, including India and Japan. He grew up kayaking on the Ottawa River and was a rafting guide. He climbed Mount Everest. He was a talented skateboarder and snowboarder.
He was a father to Dylan, who is 18 and attending college in Ottawa.
Marc was also a musician, playing bass guitar, guitar and drums, a talent he handed down to Dylan. Throughout his years, Marc was in several bands, including Turbo Krankur, Hinterland Band and Valley of the Falcons.
Marc not only played the songs, he also wrote many of them, Joseph said. They were a mix of real life and fiction.
Marc grew up on Grants Settlement Road, attending several Catholic schools, including St. Jean Baptiste, St. Jeanne D’Arc and graduating from St. Jeanne La Joie, all in Pembroke. He was a former Westmeath Warrior hockey player. He had been a teacher in the Outdoor Adventure Program at Algonquin College for six years.
“We loved him,” Joseph said.
Marc leaves behind to mourn his son Dylan; mother and stepfather Susan and Joe Kowalski, his father John (Jack) Leblanc of Pembroke and siblings Joseph, Sarah (Steve) Metcalf, Joel and Katie.
Marc’s funeral is today, Thursday, March 24 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in La Passe.
In memory of Marc, donations to Dylan’s Trust Fund would be appreciated.
