On Thursday, April 23, local dentist Andrew Cheng was killed in a car crash near the Clinton area.
The accident happened shortly after 2 pm.
According to investigators, there was a large storm moving through the area with rain and hail, which they believe played a role in the crash.
Also killed in the crash was a man from 70 Mile House.
Dr Cheng has been operating the Tumbler Ridge Dental Clinic since April 2012. Previous to that, he owned and operated a dental clinic in Vancouver.
Dr Cheng received a Bachelor of Arts in 1985 from the University of Toronto. In 1987, he received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alberta and in 1989 completed his Dental Program at the University of Alberta before moving to BC to begin his practice.
He had a keen interest in laser and computerized dentistry, and was amongst the first group of dentists to travel to Germany to learn the Cerec Method in 1996.
Every year, Dr Cheng would travel to remote areas in world, such as Bhutan and Guatemala to educate and provide dental care and services to people who may have never seen by a dentist.
Mark Bartkoski, former President of Conuma Coal, says Dr. Cheng had a huge heart for helping people. “His smile told you that when you met him,” says Bartkoski, “and his annual Children’s Pay It Forward trips proved it with his actions.”
Bartkoski told Dr Cheng about how Conuma was supporting 74 kids in a Bolivian Orphanage. “When I told him, he asked me if he could join in,” says Bartkoski. “He organized 18 other dental professionals from all over Canada to help not only on the Conuma supported orphanage, but also two others in the immediate area. His energy was infectious and his heart for helping underprivileged kids was inspirational. He was the king of a Pay It Forward that many many people will never forget. Tumble Ridge and I will miss our friend, but he will never be forgotten.”
