March 14th, 2026, was a regular day for Kuldeep Raj. It was 2:30 a.m. and he was driving home on the Anthony Henday from his casino job. A vehicle traveling west in the east bound lane crashed into his.

The 27-year-old woman driving the vehicle going the wrong way died on scene. Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.

Raj suffered severe injuries. In the past two weeks he’s had multiple surgeries and he can’t move the right side of his body. He also has a brain injury. While his wife has been by his side, his two daughters haven’t seen him since before the crash.

“Sometimes he is able to recognize his wife, sometimes not,” family friend Swati Kathuria said.

“They got a call, they were confused what happened. They were not able to believe what happened, and were told that (Raj) was undergoing surgery,” Raj’s brother Pawan Kumar said through a translator.

“When they got to the hospital, they were crying and asking for updates every 30 minutes.”

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Raj’s friends have been supporting his family, helping them get through this difficult time.

“We as friends have (known) him since college. All are here to support him and his family. Obviously, he can’t see the support right now, but his wife needs it more,” Kathuria said.

Raj was working multiple jobs to support his family. Unfortunately, he is not able to get insurance for disability through work. Kathuria has set up a GoFundMe page to help the family pay their bills and take off some financial pressure.

“We have seen a lot of support from the Edmonton people even though they are not connected to them,” Kathuria said.

“He has two small daughters, a wife to take care of them at home and doesn’t have any kind of other financial support.”

As Raj is still recovering, the family is trying to navigate what life will look like now.

“It might take one or two years; we don’t know how long it will take for Raj to get back on his feet,” Kathuria said.

1:56
Edmonton police accuse PEI man of killing girlfriend, dumping body in central Alberta

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Vehicle problems that turned into a nightmare – that’s how family members describe a crash that killed a Calgary father and left his 21-year-old daughter with life-changing injuries.

Strathcona County RCMP said two vehicles were stopped on the shoulder of the road on Feb. 8; both drivers were out of their vehicles, trying to change a tire, when the fatal collision occurred.

Victoria Fortuna had been driving on Anthony Henday Drive in Edmonton, says her aunt Laurel Cousens, when Fortuna got a flat tire and called her father Paul for help.

“They were getting the equipment out to change the flat tire and another driver plowed into the back of the second vehicle and pinned the two of them between the two SUVs,” Cousens said.

Police say the father, daughter and their vehicles were hit by a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

RCMP confirmed a 53-year-old man – identified by the family as Paul – died at the scene.

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One week after the crash, Victoria is still in the ICU.

“It is just overwhelming, the road ahead of her to rebuild her life,” Cousens said.

“It’s been beyond horrific for Victoria.”

Victoria’s family said both her legs had to be amputated and she’s undergone multiple surgeries.

They say quick work from other drivers on the Henday saved her life.

“Apparently it was a doctor – and I believe his wife – a nurse, were able to perform emergency techniques to stem the bleeding,” Cousens said

Victoria had moved to Edmonton from Calgary to attend MacEwan University’s fine arts program.

A GoFundMe to help Victoria’s family stay close to her and provide care reached its initial goal within a day.

Her family is thankful for the support. They also want to thank the people who helped at the scene.

“We just cannot express enough just how much that support means to us and it’s helping to prop us up through this horrendous, horrendous ordeal,” Cousens said.

They also want drivers to take more care on the roads and say this situation was avoidable.

“This could be your daughter, sister, friend, niece, granddaughter and like why?” Cousens said. “It is so not worth the risk.”

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.