‘The last words we spoke’: Family remembers Gabe Cabral, who died following incident at Stelco’s Lake Erie Works

Gabe Cabral spoke to his mother every day on his way home from work.

The pair would chat as he drove to Hamilton from Nanticoke, where he had worked for the past few years at Stelco's Lake Erie Works as a sheet-metal worker for John Kenyon Limited.

On the evening of April 24, once Cabral got to his apartment, the pair said goodnight" and I love you."

It's a memory Pam Fraser now takes great solace in - as everything changed the next morning.

I know those were the last words we spoke," said Fraser, her voice breaking. I miss him so much."

On the morning of April 25, Cabral and a co-worker were airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto with severe burns after they were injured while working at the steel mill.

According to a ministry report obtained by The Sachem, two workers were on a boom lift replacing sheet metal on the side of the coke oven quench tower when they were burned by hot steam from a coke quench - a cooling process that cannot be stopped remotely once started.

Cabral was not identified in the report, however the 32-year-old's identity has been confirmed by both his family and Sheet Metal Workers and Roofers Local 537, which represents workers from Hamilton, Brantford and Niagara, including those at John Kenyon.

Cabral suffered third- and fourth-degree burns to 70 per cent of his body, according to his family. He underwent several life-saving surgeries, but on May 16 died of his injuries.

He had all the odds against him," said his younger brother, Shane Cabral. It was just too much for him in the end."

In the days and weeks following the incident, the Ministry of Labour issued a total of four requirements and two orders to employer John Kenyon and one order to Stelco. It continues to investigate.

Stelco has not responded to requests for comment. John Kenyon - a Hamilton metal wall cladding and roofing company that serves the industrial and commercial sectors - declined to comment.

While the family did not want to directly address the incident at Stelco, Shane told The Spectator he feels like it shouldn't have happened."

Fraser said just months before the incident, Cabral met the girl of his dreams" and had recently gotten a new boss at his job, which he loved. His brother said he had worked in the sheet-metal trade since he was 18.

Everything in Gabe's world was going great," said Fraser. And then this had to happen."

Shane described his brother as a tender but bold guy with quick wit and a protector personality" when it came to his little brothers. Gabe was the eldest of three, with Shane in the middle and Matthew the youngest.

He was tough as nails," he said. But people loved to be around Gabe ... he could make a room laugh."

Cabral loved fishing more than anything, often going right from his job to the Grand River to cast his line, usually donning chest-high waders as he waited for fish to bite. He'd even call in sick to work to sneak in more time out on the water, said Fraser.

He loved it," Shane added, noting their father helped spark the passion. But he would also make other people realize how much they loved it too."

Beyond fishing, Cabral loved video games, fitness and had a secret knack for drawing, said Shane. He also loved Christmas and the surprises that came with it - something his mother treasured.

The family spent the last three weeks standing vigil at Cabral's bedside, with his mom spending every day in Toronto. Cabral's girlfriend Sarah was there almost as much, with cousins, aunts and friends dropping in each day to ensure he was never alone.

While Cabral never regained consciousness after the incident, his family is thankful they had time with him as he fought to recover.

We got to say our goodbyes," said Fraser. That was his last gift to us."

And while Cabral didn't ask for much when he was alive, Shane said his brother would have been overwhelmed" by all the support from the community since the incident. A GoFundMe had raised nearly $50,000 as of Friday afternoon.

We're so grateful that they were all on Gabe's side," said Shane. And we're just really proud of him."

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com