The 19-year-old young man, victim of a work accident in Beauharnois last Monday, had just put his life back on track after episodes of academic difficulties.

“There are no words, it is inconceivable. We went through a lot of hardships and there, things were starting to go well. And then things like that happen, it's total incomprehension, ”said Jean-Paul Livenais, the father of the victim.

Late Monday morning, Xavier Livenais was reportedly crushed by a forklift in the outdoor courtyard of the Transbordement St-Pierre company where he worked.

He would then have remained stuck for a few minutes under the device.

His death was pronounced at the hospital.

The young adult had been employed by this company for two years.

He was in charge of securing cargo for the trains, a job he particularly liked, according to his father.

But, for the past few months, Xavier Livenais had only one goal in mind: to become a heavy machinery operator.

"He had started his training on the company's various machines, it was going very well, he had even started to read and study again to achieve this goal", proudly explains his father.

Overcome difficulties

At school, Xavier Livenais encountered multiple pitfalls that led him to drop out twice.

First in high school, then during training in an adult education center.

“He found studies hard, but I had recently told him to start with arrow words and crosswords to give him a taste for reading and learning,” recalls his father.

While searching through his son's belongings after his death, Jean-Paul Livenais just happened to come across a crossword notebook.

"It's something that would have been unthinkable a few years ago," he believes.

According to the latter, his son was a true example of perseverance.

“I think he would like people to know that there is hope for young people, that they should not give up when things are not going well in school, that they should go look for support like he did," he said.

A young man with a big heart

The father of the family remembers his son as a person with a big heart, helpful and funny.

“He always found a way to make us laugh,” he recalls.

“Xavier also allowed me to get up and be functional after a work accident,” says Jean-Paul Livenais.

Following this accident, Mr. Livenais had to learn to walk again.

“All I had in mind was the desire to play soccer with my kids. In my heart, this is what allowed me to move forward and recover, ”he says with emotion.

He remembers precisely the first time he had registered Xavier for soccer.

“I was walking with a cane at the time and he came back from signing up proud to tell me I was going to be his trainer,” he laughs.

To the delight of his son, the father had agreed to train "the little guys".

– With the collaboration of Maxime Deland, QMI Agency