Family mourning tragic incident that claimed the life of young dad in Ottawa

He is being remembered as the embodiment of strength, a passionate, spirited, nature-loving, slightly competitive and fun father of two young children.

Cole Misner-Nell, 24, wanted to support everybody, even when he and his fiancé, Loraleigh Bailey, had very little, his aunt Amanda MacDonald told CityNews in an interview. The pair moved from their hometown of Guelph, Ont., five years ago to raise their two children, Jensen, 2, and Casey Lee, 1, in Winchester, Ont., a move that allowed Misner-Nell to reconnect with his biological father.

Misner-Nell was a part of a close-knit family that hosted weekly gatherings at his grandparents’ home, and who have stories about arm wrestling, fishing and “spirited” debates on superheroes to look back on.

“Cole had a dream to have his own farm…He’s a cowboy through and through,” MacDonald said. “He wanted a simple life with Loraleigh and the kids, getting some cows, chickens, and just starting a little farm. That’s what their dream was.”

Growing up, and even before his death, MacDonald said Misner-Nell was a huge part of the family. He has two brothers and a cousin, MacDonald’s son, who, she said, when all four got together, caused quite a ruckus.

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“My poor sister’s house,” she said. “Seen a lot of holes in the walls from all of the rolling around that they did.”

MacDonald’s son, Blake, and Misner-Nell were always competing against each other. One family gathering, Blake was determined to “beat” him once.

“So he got Cole up in the backyard in the bushes, and all you saw was Cole slam him down to the ground, and they’re wrestling around, and he spilled his drink all over my son. It was so funny. We were sitting there laughing,” MacDonald said.

“It’s just unbelievable how close they were. They would do anything for each other,” she said.

The death is being investigated by the SIU

Misner-Nell was driving back from his job as a construction worker in Ottawa during a snowstorm on Jan. 23, a fundraiser dedicated to Misner-Nell’s children and fiancé reads. A single-vehicle collision happened near Bank Street and Morningside Avenue around 11:30 p.m., a police press release notes.

Officers attended the crash scene and saw a minivan rolled over. According to the province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU), officers did not find anyone in or around the vehicle that night. The watchdog details in a press release that police couldn’t find the registered driver and left the scene.

The next day an officer returned to find a 24-year-old dead near the crash site beneath the snow.

CityNews reached out to Ottawa police for comment, in which a spokesperson pointed to a press release asking for witnesses to come forward.

The SIU told CityNews in an email that it hopes to accomplish the investigation into the incident within 120 days.

“As family members, we’re shattered,” MacDonald said of the tragic incident. “The thought of him lying in the snow for that long, it breaks our hearts.”

Their goal is to focus on supporting Bailey and the two children with the fundraiser. She was dedicated to raising the two kids, while Misner-Nell worked long days to provide for his young family.

“Money was always tight, but they made it work through love, determination, and the dream of giving their children a good life,” the GoFundMe reads.

The money raised will go towards funeral costs, and basic necessities for the two children. The family hopes to raise enough money to allow Bailey time to grieve before figuring out what the next steps are.

“The amount of support that we’re getting is unbelievable,” MacDonald said of the fundraiser. “Even strangers are reaching out to me via email, asking what they can do to support.”

MacDonald said the family wants answers on what happened to Misner-Nell.