An Armstrong trucking company, along with a national truckers organization, is mourning the loss of someone they call 鈥渘ot just a great driver, but a great man.鈥�

Reimer Bros. Trucking Ltd. and Skilled Truckers Canada both shared reactions on social media to the sudden death Monday, Feb. 12, of driver Mike Beernaerts. He was killed on Highway 97, just south of Highway 1 and just south of the Monte Lake Brake Check, in a collision between semi trucks shortly before 7 p.m.

鈥淢ike鈥檚 infectious smile and laughter brightened our days,鈥� wrote Reimer Bros. on its Facebook page Thursday, Feb. 15. 鈥淣ot only was he an exceptional trucker, but he was also a remarkable human being.

鈥淓veryone at Reimer Bros. can attest to the fact that Mike鈥檚 presence will be deeply missed.鈥�

Beernaerts had been with the Armstrong firm for only five months.

Skilled Canada Truckers shared that Beernaerts was known for his smile; that he was 鈥渁lways there, ready to step up, help someone, offer advice.鈥�

鈥淗e genuinely cared not only for his career, but for everyone he met along the way,鈥� said the tribute to Beernaerts, which also included sharing a poignant story about a stop in Saskatchewan.

鈥淥nce in Moosomin, he borrowed a $10 off me and handed it to a down on her luck woman. He never did pay me back and it became a standing joke between us. It wasn鈥檛 because he didn鈥檛 have it鈥�. it was because in his own way he was saying, remember this next time you see someone in dire straits.鈥�

Both organizations passed along condolences to Beernaerts鈥� family, friends, and co-workers.

鈥淗e was one hell of a driver,鈥� said Skilled Truckers Canada. 鈥淗e knew his way around a truck and knew our highways. A good many miles we shared on the highway. A true veteran of the art. Old school as they come.鈥�