'He was always smiling:' friends and family mourn tragic loss of Swift Current resident

A tragic accident has impacted the lives of a young family in Swift Current, leaving residents in the community rallying behind them. 

In the early hours of the morning on September 7, Jessy Oberding, of Swift Current, was found unresponsive due to a bike accident.  

He was immediately transported to Cypress Regional Hospital, where it was discovered that the young man had suffered from multiple mini strokes and had broken the C1 section of his spine. 

Jessy while filming for Dead Prairies Production (photos courtesy of Devon Oman).

The Swift Current resident was placed on life support after being airlifted to Regina, before passing away with family by his side. 

Devon Oman, who was a close friend of Oberding, said that he will remember him as someone who always had a smile on his face. 

“He would talk to pretty much anybody, I'd say,” he reflected. “And he'd always be like, smiling, happy. I don't think I've ever seen Jessy angry or in a bad mood, it’s like he was always happy.” 

Oman said that he first met Oberding when his daughter became involved in a film for Dead Prairies Productions. 

“I met Jessy because his daughter, Indika, was in one of our films, SIN Volume I back in 2014 I believe,” he explained. “She started in that one, she was like this creepy little kid, Jerry Monkman wrote the short film. 

“She starred in that and we all connected that way. I met Jessy through that short film. He wasn't in the films himself, but his daughter was. And then yeah, we just connected from that.” 

Oman added that Oberding continued to be involved in the films, taking on roles in projects like Zombageddon 2. 

Oberding also worked as a cook in the community for many years at locations such as the Bentley, Nitejar, and Johnnies Lunchbox. 

A GoFundMe account has been created on behalf of the family, with proceeds going towards his wife and three children. 

Money donated will help the family with funeral costs and expenses associated with staying in another city in order to stay by his side for numerous days. 

Find the GoFundMe for Oberding’s family here.