REGINA – Tragedy for an Italian-Canadian family in Regina, Saskatchewan, a few days before Christmas: 11-year-old Henry Losco has died after a carbon monoxide leak in the apartment where he lived with his father, Sergio (originally from Avellino, Italy), and his mother, Marina Hills (from Creston, British Columbia). It happened in downtown Regina, on December 19. 

The tragic discovery was made by his mother, who returned home from work to find both her husband and son unconscious. Sadly, nothing could be done to save Henry, despite her desperate efforts to revive him. Henry’s father was still breathing, though struggling, and was rushed to the hospital, where he was admitted to intensive care. Since the December 19 incident, he has been slowly recovering, but he had to deal with the shock of his son’s death, which he learned of only upon waking.

From his hospital bed at Regina General Hospital, in a phone interview with The Canadian Press, later picked up by the English-language local media, Sergio remembered his son as a bright, generous child with a passion for soccer: Henry was a promising goalkeeper. “My son loved meeting new people, exploring new places, and learning new things. He could make everyone around him happy…”.

Henry had already touched many lives, indeed. The Losco family moved to Canada from Avellino, Italy, when Henry was six, living in several Canadian provinces before settling in Regina in early December, following a new job opportunity for his mother, Marina. According to Sergio, Henry left “a piece of his heart” in every place they lived. He was an adored child, a sentiment echoed in numerous Facebook messages on his father’s page in the days following the tragedy and leading up to the funeral, today.

Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of the incident. According to The Canadian Press, in the days after the move, father and son had experienced mild symptoms such as fatigue and headaches, initially attributed to the climate change and air pressure differences between the East Coast, where they had lived until early December, and the prairies. From his hospital bed, Sergio said he does not recall hearing any carbon monoxide alarm, even though the building was equipped with safety systems.

Regina Fire Chief Layne Jackson reported that dangerous levels of carbon monoxide were detected during the emergency response, prompting the evacuation of the building. A hazardous materials unit also responded. Investigators have linked the leak to ongoing work in the building, though the exact cause is still under investigation. Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Government Relations Erika Ritchie has called on the Provincial Auditor to clarify the situation.

While other residents have been allowed to return to their apartments, the Losco family does not plan to go back. “We don’t want to return there” Sergio said. “We won’t go back to the place where our son died…”.

For Henry’s funeral, his mother Marina prepared a playlist with his favourite music: we share it here   

In the pic above, Henry in the arms of his father Sergio and with his mother Marina: “With your hand on my heart!” his father wrote under this photo on his Facebook profile; here below is a pic of Henry, goalkeeper, with his father (from Sergio Losco’s Facebook profile – courtesy of the family)