In Celebration of

Ben McKinnon

November 10, 1991 - August 12, 2016

The local community – along with the world of creativity and cinematography – lost a shining star on August 12, 2016 with the news that Rigaud resident, 24-year-old Ben McKinnon who – as told by his family - “Decided to end a long battle he'd fought so courageously, so relentlessly for two years, and surrendered his own life.”

That statement, addressed to dear friends of Ben, added, “Our dear brother, our dear son, is no longer with us. In this time of great pain and sadness, we wish to keep alive in memory only that brightest essence that Ben was.

“Since he believed in touching the lives of others through his art, his words, and his own hardships, may you remember Ben in the unique, personal way that he touched you. Ben, may you be at peace, wherever it is you have flown to. May you know that we love you, love you, love you, and cherish all that you were. With love, your family.” (Excerpts from Hudson’s Your Local Journal)

Please join us to honor Ben at a special tribute on Saturday, September 17th as he continues to be a guardian of the lighthouse, never failing to shine brightly for us earthly travelers:

The ceremony paying homage to Ben’s life will take place at 1:00 pm, at the Belvedere Cemetery in the West-Island, at the doorstep of the arboretum (22025 Trans-Canada Hwy. Senneville, Quebec H9X 3L7). For those who wish to say a few words in the memory of Ben, there will be an opportunity to do so.

The event will be open to the public, and will be a moment to properly pay tribute to who Ben was in each of our lives. Should a memory make you laugh, be at ease to laugh. Smile. Cry if you must. Or, if nothing else, feel comfortable to remain completely silent, walk the rooms, and remember Ben.
Ben’s favorite songs will fill the rooms. His photographs will line the walls. A short reel of his artistic work, his own legacy, will be shown. We are now the guardians of his memory.

Many of you may be thinking what you can do, and already many people have asked about sending flowers. As a way of creating a lasting tribute for Ben, the Pure Art Foundation is establishing a special fund in his honor.
If you would like to donate to this commemoration instead of sending flowers, please visit
www.pureartfoundation.org , where you'll be able to choose “General Donation” and add “For Ben” in your comment note.
With gratitude for all your prayers and wishes,
Respectfully,

The Mckinnon Clan
Robert, Brigitte, Sam, Liam, Renault and Sebastian

Guestbook

(5 of 5)

Sergine Levaque

Entered September 16, 2016

Toutes mes condoleances a toi et ta famille chere Brigitte. Je pense a toi....bon courage.xx

Kathleen Frank

Entered September 16, 2016 from Kenmore

Two younger brothers have proceeded me to the other side....wherever that is....I send you love and prayers for comfort and the alleviation of Saudade....
Kathleen Frank
USA

Suzie Breton

Entered September 17, 2016

My deepest sympathies Brigitte and Robert...and the boys. I am crying with you. Torn up by the loss of one of your beautiful sons. Life will never be the same without him. You will never be the same without him. There's no denying that. But, Ben will live in your hearts...and everyday you will "see" or "hear" him somewhere...in a word, in a book, in a song, in a bird, in a fox, in a forest, in a cabin, in the city, in the wind, in the sun, in the rain...and you will cry and you will smile and you feel his presence and his love. Compassionately yours, Ms. Suzie xoxo

The Cutler Family - Sam, Jamie, Craig and Vicki (Our son was a childhood friend of Ben's)

Entered September 17, 2016 from Arizona (formerly of Hudson)

Although we did not know Ben for very long, his memory will always live with us, and he will forever be remembered by his kind spirit. Our sympathies, love and thoughts are with all the McKinnon family at this very sad time.

à toute la famille McKinnon

Entered September 19, 2016

À toute la famille McKinnon, nous vous faisons part de toute notre tristesse pour la perte de votre fils, de votre frère. Nous nous connaissons seulement par l'entremise de Tante Denise mais désirons vous souhaiter bon courage dans cette épreuve. Stéphanie Boulianne et Paul Crevier, neveu de Denise .

Life Stories

(1 of 1)

Hudson's Your Local Journal (Community Support)

Entered September 9, 2016 from Hudson, Qc

Hudson’s "Your Local Journal" newspaper published an article about Ben. We have included below the community’s shared thoughts and memories of him, as well as messages of support for the McKinnon family;

Said Hudson Film Society president, Clint Ward, who has screened all three segments of the McKinnon brothers' critically-acclaimed KIN Fables at Hudson Village Theatre, “It is sad beyond belief. The world of film, to which so many of us are dedicated, has lost someone very special and very talented who I really believe had a great future in filmmaking ahead of him. My heartfelt condolences to Ben's family at this very difficult time.”

Said Hudson Village Theatre executive director, Kalina Skulska, “On behalf of everyone here at the theatre, our hearts go out to Ben's family and all his friends including so many young people here in our community whose lives he touched in a most positive way and who will never forget him.”

Said Bob Kemerer who, together with fellow Hudsonites Peter Williamson and Your Local Journal writer James Parry, spent 10 days in Newfoundland with Ben and Sebastian last year filming Salvage, the second chapter in their award-winning KIN Fables trilogy, “Ben was the consummate cinematographer. Even when filming, we costumed 'fishermen' over the transom of a land-locked dorey in a huge, unheated shed in Port aux Basques. We were all freezing. But Ben and Sebastian never lost their cool. I will always have good memories of them both. They wanted the best. They were so professional. And they, in turn, inspired us to give our best. It is so sad that Ben has left us.”

Said St. Lazare singer-songwriter Vivianne LaRiviere, “Ben's charisma was also enigmatic. He was exceptionally gracious. His eye for beauty captured so much beyond what we would expect in such a young man. He provided a depth of breath in his work that magnified his philosophies, as he was tremendously devoted to the craft of capturing beauty in the light, in the storm, in the turbulence of nature.

“Ben captivated beautifully the sentiments of one of my songs, Tell Me Life, in a video we did a few years back. We filmed much of it on Rigaud Mountain. He knew the ground well. It was his home, both physically and spiritually. I am deeply saddened and shocked by his death. We have lost a budding genius.”

Ben wrote very recently, “In the end, light will always pierce through the darkness, beaming fiercely through the shadows, cutting its way through the night.”

There is no doubt that Ben McKinnon’s unique and beautiful light will continue to guide and inspire the hearts and minds of all who knew him. (YLJ)