The weight of a mother’s grief hangs heavy in the air as Kara Chamberlain speaks about her son, Cale Coburn. The 13-year-old boy was fatally struck while riding his bicycle in north Edmonton last week, and the driver responsible has yet to come forward.
“He was the kindest soul you could ever meet,” Kara tells me, her voice breaking as we sit in her living room surrounded by photos of a smiling boy with bright eyes. “Cale would give you his last dollar if you needed it. That’s just who he was.”
The tragic incident occurred near 144 Avenue and 114 Street last Tuesday evening. Cale was cycling home from a friend’s house when a vehicle struck him and fled the scene. A passerby discovered the teen and called emergency services, but despite paramedics’ efforts, Cale was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Edmonton Police Service investigators have been working tirelessly to locate the driver. Detective Sarah Hoffman, who’s leading the investigation, says they’re following several leads but need more information.
“We believe the vehicle involved may be a dark-colored SUV with front-end damage,” Hoffman explains. “We’re asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has information about a vehicle matching this description to contact us immediately.”
The community has rallied around the Chamberlain family in the days following the tragedy. A makeshift memorial has grown at the site of the collision, with teddy bears, flowers, and handwritten notes from Cale’s classmates at Northmount School.
“Seeing how many lives Cale touched gives us some comfort,” Kara says, showing me a stack of sympathy cards from neighbors and school friends. “But nothing will fill this hole in our hearts.”
Cale’s teachers remember him as a bright student with a passion for science and basketball. His coach, Mike Patterson, recalls a determined young athlete who never gave up.
“He wasn’t the tallest kid on the team, but he had the biggest heart,” Patterson shares. “Cale showed up early to every practice and stayed late. He was the kind of player who made everyone around him better.”
The family is planning a memorial service for next weekend, but Kara says finding closure will be impossible until the person responsible comes forward.
“I’m not looking for revenge,” she insists, wiping tears from her eyes. “I just need to know what happened to my son. I need to understand why someone would leave him there alone.”
Traffic safety advocates point out that this tragedy highlights ongoing concerns about pedestrian and cyclist safety in Edmonton. According to city data, there were 243 collisions involving cyclists last year, with three resulting in fatalities.
Jessica Lamarre from Paths for People, a local organization advocating for safer streets, says more must be done to protect vulnerable road users.
“Every tragic loss like Cale’s should motivate us to improve infrastructure and education,” Lamarre explains. “Protected bike lanes, reduced speed limits in residential areas, and better driver awareness can prevent these heartbreaking incidents.”
Meanwhile, Kara finds herself caught in a parent’s worst nightmare, sorting through her son’s belongings and trying to make sense of a senseless tragedy.
“I keep expecting him to walk through the door,” she says, glancing at Cale’s backpack still hanging by the entrance. “His hockey gear is still in the basement where he left it. I’m not ready to move anything yet.”
As our conversation winds down, Kara makes a direct appeal to the driver who fled the scene.
“Please come forward,” she pleads. “My son deserves justice, and our family deserves answers. We can’t begin to heal until we know what happened.”
Anyone with information about this hit-and-run is urged to contact the Edmonton Police Service or Crime Stoppers. As the investigation continues, a community mourns the loss of a promising young life cut tragically short, and a mother waits for answers that may help ease her unbearable pain.
