‘He always lit up the room’: Family remembers Sask. Constant Reminder band member killed in crash

WATCH: Two brothers and members of a Saskatchewan band were killed in a crash Thursday evening.

Olivia McLeod is keeping the memory of her partner, Rene Constant, alive following a fatal vehicle collision near Melfort, which took the lives of Rene and his brother, Seth.

“I remember him by his music, and the person he was. He was humble. He was a great person, he was a great dad, he was a very smart guy. Every place he went, he always lit up the room,” McLeod said.

Rene and Seth were part of a band called Constant Reminder. Originally from James Smith Cree Nation, the brothers shared their love of music with whomever they could.

James Smith Cree Nation released a statement which read: “These talented young men carried on our Nation’s spirit with pride through their music, inspiring many across our lands and beyond... their loss is felt not only by their families but by all who knew them, heard them perform, and were moved by their gift of music.”

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While Rene’s go to instrument was the drums, McLeod shared that any time Rene brought out his guitar to sing for guests, it filled their home with joy. McLeod added that Rene’s passion for music was obvious to anyone who heard him play, and his favourite band was the Beatles.

“He was easy to talk to. [It] was easy to just start a conversation, and he was just great. And everything that he’d done, [he was] great at everything,” McLeod said.

McLeod said Rene started every single day by saying “good morning” to her.

The pair met at a gathering while the song Lost Together by Blue Rodeo was playing, and the tune immediately became their song.

“We’ve been together ever since. I moved to Saskatchewan from Manitoba [to] start a new life with me and my children. And that’s what we’ve done. He accepted my kids as his own, he loved them,” McLeod said.

Seth Constant was also described as an incredibly positive presence in the life of McLeod and her children.

“My friend, my brother-in-law, Seth... he was a humble guy. He liked to help a lot. He always loved to laugh,” McLeod said.

She added the two brothers were very close thanks to their many shared interests, which extended far beyond their roles as bandmates.

“He and Seth were very close. The bond was unbreakable. They were always together... laughing, listening to music, playing video games. They loved to play golf,” McLeod said.

As an entire community mourns the loss of two cherished members, McLeod shared that keeping the memory of Rene and Seth will live on forever thanks to their music. She added that Rene exemplified some important teachings, which she hopes to share with others.

“For everyone to do great in life. And to always be humble,” McLeod said.