‘That’s completely unfair’: Families of Humboldt bus crash victims unhappy with upcoming Netflix show

Families affected by the Humboldt bus crash are raising concerns about a new Netflix series they say mirrors the tragedy. Hallee Mandryk reports.

The premise of an upcoming Netflix series isn’t sitting right with those who have connections to the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash.

“It felt literally like I was punched in the gut and had the air sucked out of me. It’s just that the beginning is parallel to our accident absolutely,” Scott Thomas said.

Scott Thomas’ son, Evan Thomas, was one of the 16 people who lost their lives on April 6, 2018, when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos hockey team collided with a semi truck.

Recently, Netflix announced a series in the works about a high school hockey team that loses 13 members in a bus crash.

“I have no illusions that at some point, someone was going to tell a story very similar to what we went through. But this is just not that. It starts out using our facts and then turns into something that is so far from reality, it’s not even funny,” Thomas said.

The currently untitled Netflix show is described in the company’s publication outlet Tudum as a “heartwarming story” about how the recently widowed wife of the team’s head coach takes over running the team, and “turn their grief into an unstoppable superpower.”

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Thomas said while there are stories worth telling which stem from the tragedy in April 6, this Netflix series is taking a different direction.

“I have no problem with telling our story. It’s a nationally televised story that played out in real time, and there are stories of perseverance and inspiration here ... the stories of the families that get up every day and go to work and continue to grieve for their kids,” Thomas said.

According to Netflix, this show is fictional and not inspired by any real-life events.

But Thomas said the national attention that the Humboldt crash received makes that claim difficult to believe.

“If this was entirely an American production, maybe they didn’t know about it because it’s possible. But no, if there are Canadians involved, they knew - they knew about the parallels between the two storylines, no question. And that’s what’s disappointing to me, that somebody knew they just went ahead with it anyway,” Thomas said.

Tony Hrynchuk is a director and producer with prairie roots, with years of experience in the world of film and television. He told CTV News that while a production company is within its rights to dramatize a version of events that happened in real life, there are more ethical ways to go about it.

“If you reach out and consult, I feel like that is a great way to tell people what your intentions are and to build that bridge. And I think also creatively, it gives you an opportunity to perhaps make something that’s more authentic and real, and then you might do a better job of commenting on something and maybe it could be a vehicle to heal people rather than upset them,” Hrynchuk said.

The filmmaker added that while Netflix has denied any inspiration from real-life events, viewers, especially those familiar with the Humboldt story, will likely still draw connections between the show and the Humboldt bus crash.

“I know they’re saying it’s entirely fictional, but people are pretty smart. And if they can see the parallels to their own lives, they’re going to know. And I feel like you’re not doing yourself any favors by just trying to deny something that people feel is an obvious connection,” Hrynchuk said.

Thomas added that he feels frustrated regarding how the series is expected to closely parallel the details of the accident before leading into a storyline that does not accurately reflect how the Broncos community has been impacted by the tragedy.

“It’s not a story of triumph. It isn’t, and it never will be. And if Netflix is trying to turn this into a typical Hollywood ending, that is so far from the reality of what any of us is going through. I think that’s completely unfair, and I worry that people who don’t have a lot of knowledge of the reality are going to see that and go, ‘Oh, it’s, everybody’s okay.’ But we’re not, and we never will be,” Thomas said.

Thomas added that he and his family have no plans to watch the series when it comes out, but he will remain vocal regarding his thoughts on the show.

“I’ll continue to talk about it every chance I get in the hopes that we can hold Netflix’s feet to the fire here ... and hopefully make them second guess some of the decisions that they made. But I’m under no illusions. They’re a huge multi-billion-dollar company. They’re going to do what they’re going to do. And I don’t think they’re too concerned about upsetting a few Canadians,” Thomas said.

Adding that he would rather focus on the memory of his son, Evan Thomas, and the legacy that the Broncos’ talented right wing has left behind.

“He was just one of those kids that made everybody around him feel a little bit better about themselves. His greatest skill was being a teammate. And that’s what he thrived at. And that’s what he really enjoyed. He loved that Broncos team, he loved that group of guys. And he was just starting to get his legs, making that transition into being a young man, and he was taken from us,” Thomas said.