Adventurous, accomplished, amazing.

Jan 1, 2021, will mark one of the most tragic days in Grande Prairie.

It was a routine flight from his sister’s place in Eaglesham, over the Smokey River, and back to their farm just east of Grande Prairie. The three eldest children didn’t fly with the rest of the family. Instead, they drove back, arriving to an empty house, concerned about why their parents and sisters hadn’t yet made it home.

Wade and Aubrey Balisky, along with their two- and eight-year-old daughters, were killed in a helicopter accident. Wade was a skilled pilot and safety was always his priority—so the cause of this accident is still unknown.

Wade was an established, local farmer and an incredible business partner. He was one of my favourite cousins and was an amazing friend. Wade’s grandfather homesteaded in the Sexsmith area just over 110 years ago, immigrating from Ukraine. Over the past four generations, the family has continued to expand the farm. It was a dream-come-true for Wade to watch his two eldest sons begin to take over some of the farming and ranching operations.

Aubrey grew up in the same area, born to the Warkentin family. Just one fence line separated the Balisky and Warkentin farms. Aubrey was a gifted artist, writer, and photographer, well-respected for her community involvement.

Wade’s father, Bob Balisky, was one of three brothers who founded Peace Farm Power, a John Deere farm equipment dealership, 49 years ago. Along with managing his large farm and ranch, Wade chose to invest in the John Deere business and played an active role on the board of directors. Eventually, Peace Farm Power expanded to ten locations throughout BC and northern Alberta, growing into what is now known as PrairieCoast Equipment.

Over these past few weeks, I have heard stories from Wade’s friends, who have become my new friends. These stories have taught me lessons—and should Wade be here today, this is what he would teach you:

1. Always smile: You will never find a picture of Wade without this contagious smile

2. Have time for a visit and coffee: Even though Wade had a large farm operation and hundreds of projects on the go, he always had time to ask, “How are you?” And he always had the time to listen to your answer.

3. Be a great father and a great husband: As business people, many of us have not mastered this balance. We work hard to please our spouse and our kids with the material things that a successful business brings, but our busy schedules mean we consistently fail to deliver on sharing our time and emotional energy.

4. Have fun: Wade has been on more adventures than anyone I had ever met—and he was only 45. Who goes on their honeymoon to Mount Kilimanjaro, or takes his buddies on a motorbike trip across South America (twice)?

5. Be generous: Wade was not only generous with his time, but also with his money. Most businesspeople wait till they are retired or dead to donate their money. Wade started doing sharing his wealth when he was just 25.

Reflecting on Wade and Aubrey’s life has shown me that what’s important isn’t how many years we live, but what we accomplish in the time we’re given. Friends, family, and the community has been affected by such a great loss—but we are so grateful for the gift their lives have been.

And their story is far from over. It will live on with their three amazing kids who are well on their way to leading meaningful, adventurous, accomplished lives—just like their amazing parents.

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Some memories with Wade:

Top left: Even though he loved snowmobiling, he often flew his helicopter to meet us at the top of the mountain, then would take it from there.

Top right: Wade always made time for a family picnic in the most adventurous places.

Bottom left and right: Wade regularly dropped by for a coffee, then would fly us off to visit family, or take us on an adventure to someplace we had never been.