The 24-year-old Calgary woman killed in a head-on collision on Highway 93 through Kootenay National Park last month has been identified as Courtney Anderson, a young teacher from Okotoks, Alberta who was on her way to the valley for the weekend.

“Courtney moved out west to Okotoks in September to fulfill her dream of being a teacher and was teaching at Ecole Good Shepard School in Okotoks,” said her brother, Bryan Anderson, who contacted the Valley Echo.

The collision occurred after Ms. Anderson, who was heading towards Radium Hot Springs, lost control of her 2007 Hyundai and entered the oncoming lane before being struck by an eastbound semi. The driver of the semi, an older male, was not injured.

“It still doesn’t feel real; it feels like a nightmare to be honest,” added Mr. Anderson, reflecting on the grief Ms. Anderson’s family in Mississauga, Ontario is experiencing. Ms. Anderson had just begun her career by teaching a Grade 3 class at the school, and was acclaimed by her co-workers as a wonderful teacher.

“She was magic —Courtney was wonderful with the students,” her principal, Wayne Lorenz, told the Okotoks Western Wheel newspaper.

“She was so gentle and sincere with the kids — they loved her,” added Mr. Lorenz, who attended Ms.

Anderson’s funeral in Ontario on February 21st.

The highway through the national park was closed between Radium Hot Springs and the Castle Mountain junction for more than 12 hours on Saturday, February 15th after the fatal accident occurred just south of Vermillion Crossing around 11:30 a.m.

Her boyfriend, who had flown out from Ontario to see Ms. Anderson and was travelling with her as a passenger at the time of the crash, is recovering from serious injuries in Calgary’s Foothills Medical Centre.

The RCMP’s South East District Traffic Services are now handling the investigation into the accident, and were unable to return phone calls prior to the Valley Echo’s press deadline.