About Will
A life full to the brim.
Will was our beloved son, a little brother, a friend, a teammate, a schoolmate, a poker-of-nerves, and a bit of a joker. He was kind, funny, affectionate, and genuinely warm and fuzzy. He loved to laugh, to giggle, and to sing. He treasured his world and everyone in it. He loved life.
Within our family, Will was the youngest of our three boys. He revelled at being in the middle of everything we did. He was always singing or humming—it was how I knew where he was. Sitting beside you wasn’t close enough for Will—he was happiest on your lap, or on your back, and sometimes on your nerves. He had an uncanny sense for knowing when you were unhappy or feeling down and when he sensed that things weren’t right or you weren’t happy he made it his mission to make you smile or laugh (sometimes at the expense of getting himself into some trouble!). Quite simply, if you were happy then he was happy, too.
His favourite number was eight for many reasons. Written as a number, it looked like a snowman, and winter was his favourite season. He loved making powder 8’s while skiing. Eight was also his brother Ben’s favourite number, and Will loved whatever Ben loved. Our house number was 8, and he cherished home. His favourite colour was green (same as Ben’s, imagine that!). He savoured everything about rocks—skipping them across the water, collecting them, and painting them. I’d frequently find rocks in his pockets while doing laundry, and there were always one or two on the stairs in our home, on his windowsill, and on his night table. He derived great pleasure from our trampoline, his bike, and sleepovers with his friends. He loved bacon, candy, caramel apples, and fishy crackers. He loved his family bigger than a bus and his friendships meant the world to him.
At the time of his tragic passing, Will was a Grade 7 student at Banded Peak School in Bragg Creek, Alberta. Banded Peak was the only school he ever knew—even from the time he was a baby in a carseat because Justin and Ben also went to school there. As a toddler he knew his way around—roaming the hallways, the gym, and the library as a little brother. He enjoyed everything about school, except sitting still, which is probably why he gravitated to and enjoyed playing school sports. He loved taking the bus to and from each day and he was in his element when hanging with his pals in class, in the hallways, in the gym, and on the playing field and park at recess.
He played in the school band—first choosing to play the clarinet (because that section was all girls and it was no secret that Will loved the girls), in the end switching to the baritone saxophone. He was resourceful… the bari sax case was so large that he dismantled one of his old skateboards (it might have not been his, but one of his brother’s) and duct-taped the skateboard trucks and wheels onto the bottom of the case so he could wheel it around rather than carry it.
Outside of school, he played both league hockey and soccer. And outside of that, mini sticks hockey was a thing in our house. I wondered sometimes if there were more mini sticks than cutlery. What was evident and what I will always remember was that our house was full of boys, giggles and the occasional squabble, and lots of stinky little socks. Will never met a sport he didn’t love and aside from the sheer joy he found in the sport itself, he valued the camaraderie and the friendships he made while playing them. His friends made his world better and playing anything with his pals was everything to Will.
As a family, we spent our winter weekends skiing in Fernie. Will grew up on skis chasing his two big brothers around the mountain. He was a member of the Fernie Freestyle Ski Team and skiing became his passion. In the off-season, he spent countless hours on our trampoline on skis he wrapped with duct tape so the sharp edges wouldn’t cut the bouncy cloth. Outside my kitchen window there was almost always a Bouchard boy jumping, flipping—sideways and upside down—for hours on end. At first snow he and his brothers would build their own “mini freestyle park” in our backyard. He spent every weekend and holiday during the ski season in Fernie—skiing his heart out all day, then wandering through the local ski shops checking out the newest gear and collecting stickers.
Though his life was too short, Will’s 12 1/2 years were full to the brim with joy. Will’s oldest brother Justin said it best—“Will got to live the best part of life. He got to be a kid. He didn’t have to go through the awkward teenage stuff, or get a job, or worry about paying bills or anything like that.” It is true. Will lived a beautiful life. He was loved every day and he knew it. He had fun wherever he went. It wasn’t a life of luxury trips and expensive things, but instead was a life full of simple pleasures and ordinary days full of laughter and giggles with friends and family that loved him more than anything.
Our Little Mr. Blue Sky
Will bouchard Memorial Foundation
Will’s Foundation keeps his memory alive while turning tragedy into something meaningful. Through bursaries, grants, scholarships, and charitable giving, we support children and families navigating the grief of losing a child.
Recipients include the Alberta Children’s Hospital, STARS Air Ambulance, KidSport Alberta, Alberta Health Services Grief Support Programs, Dare to Care, the Emily Brydon Youth Foundation, and Banded Peak School — with future recipients shaped by input from our community. Your tax-deductible donation makes it possible.