Emy Brochu Texting Death: Mathieu Fortin Releases Last Chat With Girlfriend, Sent While She Was Driving

Emy Brochu

First Posted: 03/13/2012 6:11 pm Updated: 03/15/2012 3:16 pm

MONTREAL - A series of heartwrenching text messages is being used by the boyfriend of a car accident victim to warn people to pay attention when driving.

Mathieu Fortin has created a Facebook page to get the word out in memory of Emy Brochu, who died Jan. 18 when her car slammed into the back of a tractor-trailer truck as it merged with traffic near Victoriaville, Que.

Brochu had sent Fortin a couple of loving messages before her last one, which was "I love you too and I will do all I can to make you happy.”

The next set of messages, which Fortin posted on Facebook, have him telling her that he wants to "hear her beautiful voice" but then growing fearful after he hasn't heard from her in a few hours.

"Is everything going well, my love?" Fortin wrote. "I'm a bit worried."

Provincial police did not immediately attribute a cause to the accident — although they said they were looking into the possibility of a distraction, such as a cellphone.

"The police investigation showed the use of a cellphone while driving was the cause of the accident," Fortin wrote on Facebook. "This conclusion came as a shock because during the tragedy, I was in a discussion with her."

Fortin says that reading the last messages shatters his heart into a million pieces.

He urges people to learn from his story.

"An accident can happen quickly," he writes. "I hope every time you look at your cellphone while you're driving, you think of Emy and those who loved her.

"At what time is a text or an email more important than life itself? At what point is something on your phone more important than the people that you love?"

Fortin describes Brochu as a joyful, determined woman who had a wonderful future ahead of her.

He urges his friends to pass his message onto others, warning them to consider that they might run over a child crossing the road if they're not looking out.

Fortin's message received a slew of responses from friends expressing their sympathy and promising to pass it on.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story indicated that Emy Brochu's final text message was a series of XXXXs, indicating kisses. Her last message actually ended, "I love you too and I will do all I can to make you happy.”


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MONTREAL - A series of heartwrenching text messages is being used by the boyfriend of a car accident victim to warn people to pay attention when driving.Mathieu Fortin has created a Facebook page to g...
MONTREAL - A series of heartwrenching text messages is being used by the boyfriend of a car accident victim to warn people to pay attention when driving.Mathieu Fortin has created a Facebook page to g...
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10:38 AM on 05/11/2012
As HUMANS we do make mistakes. Having said that, with the advancing of technology it seems sometimes even harder to remember that we are HUMAN. There is much to be learned of people that do not KNOW the POWER OF PRAYER. You don't know what your missing out on and I encourage studying up on that. Prayer does and will create a powerful avenue..TRY IT..reach out and see ..
12:02 PM on 04/18/2012
nice cleavage I can see why he loved her xd:)
12:04 PM on 04/18/2012
and if you gonna insult me attack for this reply I made, I dont give a s h i t, not like people respect me either, the only way they would is if I go to the gym and look hot sexy with sexy abs.... fyi i dont weight over 300pounds, just a merely 230......
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Jake Thomas
elastic
03:35 PM on 04/15/2012
I am a better driver when I am texting, that much more so when I am drunk and texting.
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bushywhacky
Gods' crash-test dummy
02:04 PM on 05/02/2012
I look forward to reading your obit
10:57 AM on 04/05/2012
she looks like kenny powers' girl on eastbound.
11:28 PM on 03/31/2012
His face book message is too late. He knew she was texting and driving, and he encouraged her. He must have known how disastrous it is NOT to pay attention while driving. How much more education can we give to drivers while they are behind the wheel? If he really cared, he would have told her to stop texting, and pay attention to the road, if she failed to heed his warning, he could have hung up, and called the police. He should be charged as a contributing factor to her death. There is usually a price to pay when we break the law.
12:09 PM on 03/28/2012
TURN THE PHONE OFF COMPLETLY....if something is important they can leave a message...you wouldn't know the difference until you retrieve the message later.........years ago and many now have never thoght to have such a service or noe and always have known this is a very dangerous thing to do....even if a person would never use this phone...to see it done causes such a distraction the other persons phone would still cause trouble.....also it's like playing Russian roulette with a real loaded double barreled gun
06:52 PM on 03/26/2012
I'm a great driver and I do multitask a lot in the car. My own hubris prevents me from controlling myself. I'm going to reevaluate my behavior. I really need to before I kill or injure myself or someone else. At the very least I'll do it for the people who love me.
12:04 PM on 03/28/2012
such valuable words...those involved in this horrible accident i'm sure will feel this pain for. as long as they live......but to read your thoughts that this has made such a difference to you and others ...helps later when a semblence of normalcy happens for them
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12:47 PM on 04/15/2012
If you multi task a lot in your car you are, by definition, a bad driver.
02:13 PM on 03/26/2012
jdollinter...wow that is one of the ugliest statements I have ever read. If you looked like her would you have said that?
I think that is so sad that someone died texting. Everyone needs to be careful and I guess if you see someone driving and texting "honk". Just "honk" don't get road rage just "honk". I would be ashamed if seen by other drivers doing that (texting), cause I would be risking their lives too.
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George Cummings
Warning: Moderate. Future posts unpredictable
02:06 PM on 03/26/2012
thank goodness another distracted fool behind the wheel ended it all without taking any innocents with her. It's not always this fair.
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jdollinter
10:55 AM on 03/26/2012
Would people be feeling sorry for her if she took out a busload of school children ? Guess it helps she was a beautiful young women with big breasts.
08:52 AM on 03/18/2012
I guess this means we will have yet another law named for a dead person that will take away more of our freedoms. Death is sad and accidents are terrible but truth is that these things happen and sometimes people die. Why not passa law that everyone in a car has to where a safety helmet and a max speed of 25 mph, i mean "if it saves just one life" giveme a break already.
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Dwayne Dennis
Proud to be Cherokee
09:25 AM on 03/18/2012
Just tell me that when you are texting while driving, that you only kill yourself, that way it will only take out 1 idiot.
10:04 AM on 03/18/2012
jhozef: these laws are passed to protect innocent people from idiots, like you. It is tragic that this young lady had to die but thankfully she didn't take anyone else with her. Despite your twisted logic, I have always though it is a great idea for passengers in a car to wear helmets. As far as a low maximum speed limit, with the proper care and attention of the driver, that will not be necessary.
08:27 AM on 03/18/2012
Everone should be praying for this poor girls family. This is a very sad story.
09:03 AM on 03/27/2012
I fail to see how praying will help this situation.
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10:41 AM on 05/07/2012
I agree. Why would we do this?
08:21 AM on 03/18/2012
Automobile makers need to cooperate with law enforcement and disable all calls from cell phones inside a moving vehicle. Once the car is put into drive, the cell phone needs to be deactivated for both incoming and outgoing call activity. Want to talk, then you have to stop the car and put it in Park. Then even if you are already on a call and try to put the car in Drive, it will automatically disconnect.
10:56 AM on 03/18/2012
That is insane. What about the passenger(s) in the car? Disable their cell phones? That is why they have handsfree devices. Common sense tells people if you need to text or read a message to pull over.
01:30 PM on 03/18/2012
If the people used common sense they wouldn't be getting killed by texting or reading messages while driving. People on their own are not going to change their habits and it's a shame that we have empowered these people to make this insane decision. And hands free does not guarantee a safer driver. People tend to get too involved in their conversations and forget that they are driving a lethal vehicle. I've seen it too many times to give your comment credit. Even in your commercials, look at what some of them are doing while driving, talking to the camera, taking both hands off of the steering wheel. I know, that's a lot different than just talking, but I've seen people with hands free devices doing exactly the same thing. There's a passenger in the car and they are taking their eyes off of the road to talk to the passenger and sharing comments about the phone call.
08:13 AM on 03/18/2012
How many more have to die or be maimed before people stop driving and texting. Often they injure the innocent. I see people swerving all over the road every day and know what they are doing. Before high tech, the only reason someone was swerving was fatigue or alcohol, now there is a bigger reason. Anyone injuring another due to texting needs to go to jail the same as a drunk driver injuring someone. I'd tell the kids to wise up, but often their middle age parents are just as guilty. The whole world gets dumber every day.
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OdinsEye
Korean-Latino cop and retired military combat vet
01:11 PM on 03/18/2012
"Before high tech, the only reason someone was swerving was fatigue or alcohol, now there is a bigger reason."

Or playing with the stereo. I have seen several wrecks because the driver was popping in a CD or tape. In fact when car radios were first brought out by Lear, one of the complaints about them was that they caused accidents due to distracted drivers.

Or looking for something in their purse/console/glove compartment/etc. Or trying to read directions. Or drinking coffee/soda/etc. Or countless other distractors.

ANYTHING you do in a vehicle other than driving can be either a mental or physical distractor, if not both. They ALL are factors in crashes.
01:04 AM on 03/19/2012
Absolutely. If banning cell phone is a good idea, then ban radios and climate controls. In fact, ban all non-essential cabin accessories and only allow items to be stowed in the trunk, lest they act as a distraction.
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George Cummings
Warning: Moderate. Future posts unpredictable
02:08 PM on 03/26/2012
putting in a CD or fumbling for an object ENDS....texting and cellphone distraction just goes on and on..it never ends and it's an entirely higher level of distraction.
08:01 AM on 03/18/2012
He's just as much at fault. He states they were in a conversation...STUPID! He should have told her not to text and that they would TALK later.
08:34 AM on 03/18/2012
I agree.
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OdinsEye
Korean-Latino cop and retired military combat vet
01:12 PM on 03/18/2012
"He's just as much at fault. He states they were in a conversation...STUPID! He should have told her not to text and that they would TALK later. "

He did not know she was driving.