Norman Wells (Aug 28/06) - Searchers near here last week found the body of 26-year-old Nelson Gardebois, the third and final victim of July's boating tragedy. The official cause of death was drowning.

"He always took great pleasure in helping people,"said Dudley Johnson, the Sahtu Coroner and Gardebois' friend and former teacher.

"You didn't even have to ask."

He added Gardebois liked to play jokes, though he was somewhat shy and described him as an avid reader.

"I remember when I was teaching him in Grade 7 he got his first job at the Northern Store,"he said.

"He brought in his first paycheque to show me. He said he wanted to get a stereo and had me come along with him to the store to pick it out.

"He was so proud."

Gardebois' funeral is expected to be held early this week, and Johnson hopes it will be the last for some time in the region.

"We've had nine fatalities in the last few weeks and five of the people were former students of mine,"he said. "God, it hurts."

Gardebois died along with Joseph Turo, 62, Adrian Turo, 21, when the boat they were in capsized on the way to Fort Good Hope from Norman Wells July 21. Their bodies were recovered earlier this month.

Sandra T'Seleie, 34, was the lone survivor of the accident.