"We had received a phone call because the bus was late."
It was December 21, 1966, and there was a light rain mixed with snow that afternoon as a school bus full of young children was struck by a tractor-trailer at the corner of Hwy. 3 and Walker Rd.
Cheryl Leithead-Skilton, in a car with her mother and brother-in-law, had traced the bus's route after hearing there had been an accident. Onboard the bus, her six-year-old sister Laurie Anne and seven other children who died that day.
"And all you could hear were sirens and people yelling," recalls Leithead-Skilton.
It was the last day of school before Christmas Break, and the small rural community of Oldcastle was suddenly thrust into the global spotlight. Along with Laurie Anne, the community also lost Thomas Jay O'Neil, Blaine Robert Mills, David Scott McKee, Rhonda May McDonald, Anna Marie Dube, Gary Ross Curtis and Susan Irene Brown.
"She had blonde hair, blue eyes," says Leithead-Skilton describing her sister. "She was tiny. A little shy."
This weekend, the families of those children lost are reuniting to remember their loss and find comfort in each other. Leithead-Skilton says they've been in touch with the families of all the children who died that day, with the exception of Susan Brown's family.
On Saturday, those affected by the tragedy are gathering at Oldcastle Heritage Park and Fire Hall for a brief service at 2pm. Sunday, there is a memorial service at 10am at St. Stephe's Church in Oldcastle.
Back then, she says there were no grief counsellors for the survivors and the community helped in any way it could, but some families never spoke of the tragedy.
"I remember getting on the bus, going back to school in January and there was a peep. Any of the kids -- none of them were talking. There was no noise," Leithead-Skilton believes many parents told their children not to speak of it because they didn't know what to say. "And even getting into the school, the kids were, 'I want to say, how was your Christmas? But, how can I because your Christmas was awful.'"
After 50 years, the corner of Hwy. 3 and Walker Rd. has changed dramatically and Leithead-Skilton often drives through the intersection.
"It's always in the back of your mind," she says. "You wonder what they would be doing now with Christmas? My sister would be 56. Would she be married? Would she have kids? Would I have nieces and nephews to share Christmas with?"