A Victoria police officer left in a coma for more than three decades after he was injured in an on-duty car crash in 1987 has died.
Const. Ian Jordan died in hospital Wednesday night, according to a news release from the Victoria Police Department.
Jordan was 35 years old when the crash occurred on Sept. 22, 1987.
He was already injured that night and was supposed to be heading home early to his wife Hillary and 16-month-old son Mark.
But Jordan got a call about a break-and-enter in progress at a store on Fort Street and responded.
At the same time, another officer also responded – and that police car crashed into Jordan's cruiser at the corner of Douglas and Fisgard.
He suffered a serious head injury in the crash and was cared for at Glengarry Extended Hospital until his death.
"It's a bit of a blur. It's gone by very, very quickly, but I just have to look at my son to realize the passage of time," said his wife Hillary Jordan. "He'll be 32 in June. He was 16 months old when the accident happened."
Jordan said she's been going to see her husband in the hospital every day since his mother passed away in 2009, having gone a few times a week up until that point.
CTV News spoke to the officer driving the other police car, retired Const. Ole Jorgenson, who suffered serious leg injuries in the crash but eventually returned to work.
"A rollercoaster of emotions over the years," said Jorgenson. "As much as you can try to prepare that somebody's going to pass away, you can't really prepare yourself and today is a sad day for everybody involved."
Members of the Victoria Police Department have also visited Jordan over the past 30 years, and some said he was able to communicate with his eyes.
For a period of time a police scanner was kept beside his bed in hopes familiar voices would stimulate him.
Victoria Police Chief Del Manak was one of the officers who visited him regularly.
"This is an emotional time for all the VicPD officers and staff. Ian was a part of our family. We were always hopeful and wishing the best for him," said Manak. " Again, no matter how long you prepare for somebody who's been in a coma for this period of time that perhaps maybe the end is near at some point, but when it happens it's a shock."
Part of Jordan's legacy includes the creation of VicPD's Critical Incident Stress Management Team, which was formed after the accident and exists today to assist officers and staff deal with the emotional toll of traumas.
A police funeral with full honours for death in the line of duty is expected once the wishes of Jordan's family have been determined.
