CBC Lite Sections News • Canada • Manitoba Man who died after being hit by vehicle on Henderson Highway was 'great young man that left too early': uncle CBC News | Posted: April 24, 2026 11:03 PM | Last Updated: 2 hours ago Vigil held to honour Gabriel Beardy, 32 Image | Gabriel (Gabe) Beardy Caption: The family of Gabriel (Gabe) Beardy, 32, identified him as the man who died after getting hit by a vehicle while crossing Henderson Highway on foot Sunday. (Submitted by Brad Beardy) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Brad Beardy says it wasn't until he pulled into the driveway of his home in Lake St. Martin First Nation that news of his nephew's sudden death in Winnipeg over the weekend finally sank in. Beardy identified his nephew Gabriel (Gabe) Beardy, 32, as the man who died after police said he was hit by a vehicle while crossing the intersection of Henderson Highway and Neil Avenue on foot early Sunday. Gabe lived in Lake St. Martin, about 255 kilometres north of Winnipeg. He was visiting the city with his family for a UFC event Saturday, Beardy said. He described his nephew as "a great young man that left too early." An avid Winnipeg Jets fan who loved escape rooms, he was always willing to help others when they needed it, his uncle said. * Man, 32, dies after being hit on Henderson Highway in Winnipeg * Give pedestrians head start at intersections across Winnipeg, city staff recommend The 32-year-old had a partner and was a father of four children, all under the age of 10. "There's a lot I could say, but … I can't. There's no words," Beardy told CBC News on Friday. "When I got home that day, it came to me, like, he's not going to be here. He's not going to come and help me." Image | Fatal pedestrian crash on Henderson Highway at Neil Avenue, April 19, 2026. Caption: Police tape marks off an area after the collision. (Gavin Axelrod/CBC) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Police said the driver in the crash, which happened shortly after 5 a.m., called 911 immediately, remained at the site and spoke with officers. Police said Friday their investigation continues and no arrests have been made. Beardy says his family is left with unanswered questions, including whether Gabe activated the crosswalk signal at the intersection before he crossed the street. "Were the lights activated? Did he activate the lights? These are the things I think we want to know," he said. WATCH | Family in grief after man hit on Henderson Highway: Media Video | Caption: Gabe Beardy's family says they are coming to grips with his death after he was hit by a car on Henderson Highway on Sunday. Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. "The driver of the vehicle has to be held accountable if the lights were activated." Beardy says Gabe was his sister's oldest son and that his death is another blow to the already grieving mother, who lost her youngest child last year. Gabe didn't grow up with a father in his life, and Beardy says he and his brothers took over that role, teaching Gabe activities such as fishing. "It hurts, but I'm happy that I took care of him," he said. Image | Gabriel Beardy memorial shirt Caption: Gabe Beardy, 32, died after police said he was hit by a vehicle while crossing the intersection of Henderson Highway and Neil Avenue on foot on Sunday. (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs/Facebook) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab "Just before Christmas he told me, 'Uncle, I love you.'" A vigil to remember Gabe was held at the intersection on Friday evening. A group of cyclists also made their way to the intersection from Central Park as a show of support. The incident is sparking calls from advocates and people in the area for lower speeds on Henderson, and for traffic cameras to be added at the crosswalk. Linda van de Laar, a road safety advocate who helped organize the event, says she was angry when she learned of the death. Image | Linda van de Laar, in Winnipeg on April 24, 2026 Caption: Linda van de Laar, a road safety advocate who helped organize Friday night's vigil, says distracted drivers and the speed limit on Henderson are creating dangerous conditions. (CBC) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab Distracted drivers and the highway's 60 km/h speed limit are creating dangerous road conditions, van de Laar said. "This specific intersection [expects] pedestrians to cross six lanes of traffic with only a small pedestrian refuge in between, and so it's really easy to disappear in a blind spot for a driver," she told CBC News on Friday. About 150 people were expected to attend the vigil, including some of Gabe's family members, van de Laar said. Image | Beardy Vigil Signs Caption: Winnipeg road safety advocates gather at a vigil on Friday. (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs/Facebook) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab "Their family is so tight-knit, and he was such a big part of keeping their spirits up, and like, he was the person who kept everybody together," she said. "This is important to remember. It's important to be here and take a moment and reflect on what it means to have this highway cross the neighbourhood." People who live in the area also want drivers to slow down. Resident Rod DeKeyster said he was devastated when he learned of Gabe's death. Image | Gabriel Beardy vigil Caption: A group of people gathered at a vigil in Winnipeg on Friday to mourn the loss of 32-year-old Gabriel (Gabe) Beardy, from Lake St. Martin First Nation. (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs/Facebook) (BUTTON) Load image Open image in new tab He says there are many families in the area — and a lot of distracted drivers. "We see a lot of people who slow down for the actual crosswalk, and they get rear-ended here all the time, and you can see people on their phones," DeKeyster said. "People just drive like maniacs down here. I really believe they need some type of camera system." He says the death has left him worried for others who use that intersection. "Get off your phones and pay attention to the people in front of you because it's not worth a life." More Stories Like This The related links below are generated automatically based on the story you’ve just read. Loading... CBC Lite is a low-bandwidth website. To see what's new, check out our release notes. For high quality images, media, comments, and other additional features visit the full version of this story. 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