Hallmark star Noel Johansen is mourning the loss of his wife Jen Darbellay.
Darbellay, 50, was killed in Vancouver on Saturday, April 26, when an SUV drove into a crowd celebrating Filipino culture at a Lapu Lapu festival. In an interview with Global News Canada, Johansen, on crutches, remembered his late wife.
“What you see here is an injury that means nothing to me because what’s inside my heart is broken,” he told the outlet during a vigil honoring the victims and their families. “Because my wife passed away behind me at the incident.”
“She never celebrated herself in her life,” the actor said of Darbellay. “She never thought of herself, she thought of herself as small in terms of the reach. And I can tell you she was larger than life for any of you who know her. So don’t be small in life, be big, reach out and reach out as a human being with everything you have and please remember us who went through this.”
Related: 5-Year-Old Girl Among Victims of Vancouver Car Attack That Killed 11 as Suspect Is Named and Charged with Murder: Police
GoFundMe
Jen Darbellay
Johansen and Darbellay shared two children, Ford, 15, and Darby, 7, who were also at the event during the incident, which left 11 dead and several others injured.
PEOPLE reached out to a representative for Johansen for comment.
Related: 1-Year-Old in Critical Condition After Vancouver Festival Attack, His ‘Devoted and Loving Father’ Also Hospitalized
A GoFundMe set up by the actor’s close friend describes Darbellay as “one-of-a-kind.”
“She was an incredibly thoughtful, warm, caring, smart, stylish, artistic woman,” the message reads. “A gifted painter, a selfless mother, and a loving wife. She gave the best hugs, was always there to listen without judgement, and had the sweetest voice. She was not only special to me and my family (wife and kids), but she was special to many other friends and people.”
The page, which has raised nearly $170,000 of its $200,000 goal, highlighted Darbellay’s involvement in each member of her family’s lives and the impact that the grief has taken on those who knew her.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for Noel, and moving forward with his life is going to feel insurmountable,” the friend wrote. “I know that his work will undoubtedly be affected and I would really like for him and his family to be supported during this time. There will be many costs including airfare for immediate family, food, child care, counselling, funeral expenses, etc.”
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Darbellay was one of 11 people who died on Saturday, April 26 when 30-year-old Kai-Ji Adam Lo allegedly drove his car at high speeds through a crowd and striking multiple attendees at the Lapu Lapu Day street festival. The following day, he was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder in relation to the attack.
PEOPLE previously reported that Lo was “known to police” and had “a significant history of interactions with police and health care professionals, related to mental health.”
In a statement on X, the Vancouver Police Department confirmed that the dead ranged in age between 5 and 65. According to the BBC, the attack also left “more than two dozen others injured.”
“The charge assessment is ongoing and further charges are anticipated,” authorities said in their statement.
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