Family and friends gathered to remember and celebrate the life of Boyle's Tim Hague with a community dance at the Boyle Community Centre June 16.
The dance hosted by the Boyle and District Agricultural Society and Hague's family was created to honour Hague, a former UFC fighter who died June 18, 2017 after being knocked out at a boxing match in Edmonton two days prior. The event raised $300 towards the Boyle School Playground Committee, according to a Facebook post from Ian Hague, Tim's brother.
Hague's sister Jackie Neil said the event, held nearly one year after Hague's death, was a way to honour him by doing what he loved.
"We wanted to do it because Tim always loved a good time, he always loved having parties, people around him and we wanted to honour him the best way we could," Neil said. "Tim loved Boyle, this is where he grew up, this is his roots, this is what he loved to do."
Tim Hague's death resulted in the City of Edmonton conducting a third-party. A report released Dec. 11 found Edmonton Sports Commission Policies were not being followed during the June boxing event at the Shaw Conference Centre, which Hague fought at. The report recommended measures to ensure fighters with repeated head injuries were kept out of the ring unless medically cleared. The report resulted in the City of Edmonton issuing a temporary ban on combative sports to address the report's findings, which was lifted Feb. 27.
The community dance did not attract as many people as hoped, according to Ian Hague. Approximately 20 people were in attendance for the event's official start time at 8 p.m.
"It wasn't the attendance I had hoped for," Hague said in a June 17 Facebook post. "But I think everyone had a blast and let's hope for a better turn out next year."
Hague said in the post the event set him back $50 after paying the DJ and making a donation to the Boyle Fire Department for security. But Boyle fire chief Darren Hill instead requested the donation be made to another community charity, Hague said, resulting in the $300 donation for the Boyle School Playground Committee.
The event also featured a memorial book where people could sign messages about Tim Hague.
Lacey Doman attended the event and said the dance was a good way to keep Hague's memory alive.
"It's always good to keep the memories alive. You don't ever want them to be forgotten. He was a big part of the community so it's good," Doman said, adding Hague's fighting career made him popular amongst kids. "He was my son's hero."
Neil said Hague has multiple memorials to him, with the family installing a bench at the Fairmont Hot Springs in British Columbia where the family frequently visited. École Bellevue School in Beaumont, where Tim Hague taught, also planted a tree in his honour, Neil said.
Despite the sadness for the anniversary of his death, Neil said the family wanted to keep the dance a good night.
"It's sad of course but this is going to be a good night, it's going to be a fun night and that's how we want to remember things," Neil said.
