ATV rider's fatal plunge through ice happened on river stretch known for heaving, breaking

The 58-year-old Quispamsis man who died over the weekend after his all-terrain vehicle plunged through the ice of the Kennebecasis River, near Long Island, has been identified as well-known Saint John businessman Pat Valardo.

Valardo, 58,co-owned and co-operatedBuccaneer's Pub & Eatery on the city's west side with his younger brother, Brian.

He's being remembered as a well-liked, kind and generous man.

"It's been a steady traffic of people coming through and phone calls," pub manager Josh Hogan, who knew Valardo for about two decades, said on Monday afternoon.

"Nobody can believe it's true,"said Hogan,speaking on behalf of the family.

On Saturday, just after 11 p.m., emergency crews responded to a 911 call from an ATV rider that he and another man on an ATVhad both gone through the ice across the river fromRothesay.

The caller had managed to climb out, but Valardo was still submerged.

Using the GPS in the caller's cellphone, the 911 dispatcher determined the riderswere close to Minister's Face.

WATCH: 'One of the best bosses I've ever worked for,' Buccaneer's Pub staffer says of Pat Valardo, who died in ATV crash on St. John River.

Friend and employee of man who died in ATV crash describes how he'll be remembered

5 years ago

Duration 1:01

Buccaneer's Pub employee Josh Hogan has known Pat Valardo, a Quispamsis businessman who died in an ATV crash this weekend, for two decades.

Open water danger

Shawn White,divisionchief of the Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department, said there's about a 60-metrestretch of open water of varying width runningalong Minister's Facebecause of the freeze-thaw cycle this winter andthe brooks and streams that run off of Long Island.

White is urging people to be cautious.

"If you're not familiar with the area, you would be driving across the river and be on solid ice thinking everything's OK and all of a sudden you're going to come to open water,"said White, who participated in the rescue.

"And especially with it being nighttime, obviously visibility is an issue. And that wasone of the things that probably caused this unfortunate incident to happen."

Rothesay resident Ted Harley, whohas kept a close eye on the ice conditions on the Kennebecasis River for decades, said it fractured near Minister's Face just hours before it claimed Valardo's life and sent theother ATV riderto the hospital.

"Pretty much every year we have a tide rip, which locals refer to as a flash that opens up when the big tides come in with the moon and the cycle of the ocean," he said.

"What it does is it pushes up and heaves up and then when it settles back down it settles on itself and snaps some pieces off. So it's just a pressure ridge or a tide break, for the better sake of the term, that happens every year pretty much in that same particular spot."

Harley recommends those travelling on the ice to give Minister's Face a wide berth, or better yet, keep to the Rothesay side of the river.

He said he and his friends are also religious about not going out on the river unless they're equipped withfloater suits andice picks.

"It'll save your life," he said.

Public Safety officials did not immediately respond to a request for an interview about what, if any, plans the department has to improve safety in the area.

The Kennebecasis Regional Police Force posted a warning about the open water on its Facebook page Sunday at 2:09 a.m.

"Please avoid this area as it is not safe," it said.

White said two fire crews of four every firefighter on duty Saturday night responded to the 911 call.

Because of theice conditions, they had to walk across the river and use an inflatable boat to reach the riders.

They located the caller, who was already out of the water and shining the flashlight on his cellphone, first, he said. Theyput him in a hypothermic bag and used a sled to pull him back to shore. He was transported to the hospital as a precaution.

Another crew located Valardo and pulled him from the icy water. He was pulled to shore andparamedics performed CPR and resuscitation efforts onthe way tothe hospital, but he did not survive.

All eight firefighters had just updated their water rescue certification a week ago, said White.

The RCMP investigation continues.

Hogan, who worked for Valardoat the pub for the past two years, described him as one of his best bosses he's ever had, "by far."

"He was very generous. He always looked out and tried to do the best for all his employees. He always tried to be the best for his customers and he was always trying to find ways to give back to the community and charity."

Valardospent about six or seven days a week at the pub after he and his brother Brian took the business over from their late father Matt and late uncle Don.

Hewill be deeply missed by those fortunate enough to have known him.- Obituary

He also found time to travel and had "an abiding passion for the Montreal Canadiens,"according to his obituary, posted online Monday evening.

Valardo"touched many lives" and"formed friendships that bore the test of time and distance," it states.

"Hewill be deeply missed by those fortunate enough to have known him."

In addition to his brother, who was also his best friend, Valardo is survived by several extended family members andhis girlfriend Clare Vautour of Moncton.

"My heart is broken," she posted on Facebook.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 pm. at Castle Funeral Home in Saint John. A funeral will be held Thursday at noon at Our Lady of the Assumption Church.