| Former Tiger Shark Dies in Car Crash February 4, 1998 |
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| Former Tiger Shark Dies in Car Crash February 4, 1998 |
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By Ian MacAlpine
Whig-Standard Staff Writer
 Photo courtasy of Nick Roccanti |
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Two Kingston families are in mourning after the death of two childhood friends in Vancouver early Sunday morning.
Rob Veale and Mike Cavanagh, both 27, business partners and friends since childhood were killed when their car hit a tree off of King Edward Avenue in Vancouver's west end.
It was travelling at a high speed on a curved section of the road and burst into flames upon impact, said acting Sgt. Shayne Apostoliuk of the Accident Investigations Unit of the Vancouver Police. He said the investigation is ongoing.
The two men were partners with another Kingston native, Andy Hamilton, and Brad Moffitt of Lindsay. The company, Classic Promotions, produced tourist maps that pointed out popular attractions. The company had recently produced tourists maps for Victoria and Kelowna, B.C. and Calgary and Banff, Alta. At the time of the accident, the company was just beginning to see some success after a few dry years. Cavanagh was about to set up a Toronto office and was working on getting their maps on the Internet for the fledgling company.
Veale, along with Cavanagh, graduated from Frontenac Secondary School. He was the coxswain of his team in high school that won several rowing events. Veale has been out west for about four years, and was the creative force behind the company, said associate Cris Taylor, also of Kingston.
"They were struggling for a couple of years but they finally turned the corner in the last quarter of '97," said Ted Veale, Rob's father. "They had great expectations going into Toronto."
Veale said his son had an outgoing personality.
"He was just a happy-go-lucky boy."
He said his son was engaged to Kimberly Ottridge of Vancouver.
Arnie Johnson, Cavanagh's uncle, said his nephew was looking forward to the business world after his minor professional hockey career came to an end. He had just bought into the business last summer after playing hockey in Italy.
"He was looking forward to expanding in the Toronto-Ottawa area," said Johnson.
"Mike lived life to the fullest all of the time. He's well loved by all his cousins. He was just one hell of a nice guy. He grew into a fine individual."
Cavanagh was also a popular player on the Kingston junior hockey franchises. After playing his minor hockey in Kingston, he played for the Kingston Township Voyageurs before playing four years in the Ontario Hockey League three of those years with Kingston. He was one of the few players on the team that played from the 1987-88 season to the 1989-90 season when they were going through three consecutive name changes; The Canadians, Raiders and Frontenacs. He finished his junior career with the Cornwall Royals before playing for the University of New Brunswick.
Kingston Frontenacs coach and general manager Larry Mavety had Cavanagh on defence for two years.
"As far as a hockey player goes he was a great skater," said Mavety.
"He was probably one of the best skaters in the league and a good offensive defenceman.
"I thought he was a super kid, I didn't have any problems with him, what I remember about him is that he came to play."
Veale is survived by his father Ed, mother Mary, brothers Michael, Ted and John and sisters Wendy, Jennifer and Patricia.
Cavanagh is survived by his mother Audrey.
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