Grant De Patie would have turned 45 on Saturday, but he never got to see the milestone birthday because he was killed in a gas-and-dash in 2005.
Two decades after his son's tragic death in Maple Ridge, Grant De Patie's father is proud of the legacy his boy left behind.
"I think already it's saved lives," said Doug De Patie about Grant's Law, passed in 2007.
It took affect the following year, making it mandatory for drivers to pre-pay for gas at stations across the province.
"It was the best practice that we put into place. I think if we can do that and make our community safer, we've done well. I think it's a great legacy for him," Dad said.
Grant was killed at the age of 24 following a gas-and-dash at an ESSO station at Dewdney Trunk Road and 248th Street.
He was a gas station attendant, working alone, when he tried to stop the driver from leaving without paying their $12 bill. He was dragged under the vehicle for several kilometres.
Darnell Darcy Pratt would eventually plead guilty to manslaughter in the case, and was sentenced to nine years in prison. Pratt died in 2019 at age 30.
The De Patie family fought to get Grant’s Law passed, which required safety measures for employees working alone including pre-paying for gas, and making it mandatory for businesses to have at least two people working together on shift, and/or barriers protecting workers from dangerous individuals.
However, the second part of the law was later amended, to the dismay of the De Patie family. WorkSafeBC felt it wasn't feasible for retailers to hire additional workers or put up protective barriers.
De Patie is pleased the requirement to pay before pumping gas has been implemented throughout B.C., the first province in Canada to do so, and Alberta, which made it mandatory in 2018. It's also been imposed in certain parts of Ontario.
But, Dad feels more could always be done.
Unfortunately, he said, change only comes when somebody is seriously hurt or there is a death.
"We had the perfect solution to it and it wasn't about hurting employers, or going after employers. It was all about workplace safety and making people safer," De Patie said.
"I just hate to see that we end up losing lives because of the workplace inability to adjust that situation," he added.
Dealing with Grant's death has been a battle both for him, and his family, as it continues to effect them deeply.
He said his family tries to focus on the good, and remember the happier times.
"It's still tough on everybody though," he said.
De Patie said his son was a great cyclist and he misses the mountain bike rides they used to take together, and the other activities they'd share in.
But, he takes comfort in the great leaps his family fought for to protect workers in their workplace after Grant's death.
De Patie continues to hope change will take place across the country.
