Two days after a young mother fell off of an LRT platform, causing serious injuries she succumbed to only days later, her husband is speaking out – and hopes her death won’t be in vain.
“She was an amazing person, and refused to let anything stop her,” Mike Jensen said, of his 29-year-old wife Zaidee Jensen.
The mother of two – who was also visually impaired - had been on the platform of the University LRT station on Wednesday after 4 p.m., when she accidentally fell more than a metre onto the track below – hitting her head on the track.
No trains were at that station at the time.
She was rushed to the Neuro ICU unit at the U of A hospital with severe brain swelling – she slipped into a coma a short time later.
Her father said she died just before 2 a.m. Friday when she was removed from life support.
“[At] about 1:45 we took her off the respirator,” Albert Potter said. “She died at about the same time.”
Zaidee’s family told CTV News she worked for the National Research Council and had used the same station for twelve years to commute in and out of the area – she was with a sighted co-worker at the time.
Mike Jensen, who is also visually impaired, said he would like to have wide standards set for all LRT stations, to better show those who are visually impaired where the edge of the platform is.
“The other stations have tactical warning strips along the edges that can easily be found with a white stick or even the sole of your shoe” Jensen said.
Jensen is eager to work with ETS officials to ensure changes are made.
ETS officials also addressed the tragedy in a press conference Friday, and said what happened was an accident, and a rare occurrence.
“ETS is reviewing the circumstances, particularly footage from security cameras,” Ron Gabruck, Director of Operational Support for the Edmonton Transit System said.
Officials with ETS are investigating.
Jensen is survived by her husband, and two children, aged 4 and 2-years-old. A Facebook page has been set up in her memory.
With files from Veronica Jubinville
