ALEXANDER (SANDY) AUSTIN WORRELL

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ALEXANDER (SANDY) AUSTIN WORRELL

Peacefully with the comfort and love of his family by his side, 65-Year-old Alexander (Sandy) Worrell passed in St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba on Friday July 25, 2025.

Sandy was born on December 19, 1959, in Vienna, Austria, where his father, of the RCMP, was serving the Canadian Embassy Immigration Department.

The family returned to Canada in July of 1962. They were posted in Toronto, Ottawa and then finally to Winnipeg in 1977. Sandy has lived with the challenges of Downs Syndrome, Autism and PTSD throughout his life. With his mother as a major warrior defending his human rights, he became one of the first students at the Harold Lawson School in Scarborough and continued his education in Ottawa and Winnipeg, learning to read, write, draw and interact socially.

At 18 years he was functionally blinded with cataracts. Getting lens implants in his 24th year, was another battle won by his mother. He then was employed by Jazz Golf and Giant Tiger. At the age of 42, he was successfully given placement in a DASCH Home, where he has enjoyed life with his housemates, the DASCH family of home staff and Day Programming until his retirement years. Throughout this time visits and vacations with his parents kept him constantly connected to and loved by his extended families.

Sandy thoroughly enjoyed camping, swimming, fishing, family gatherings, playing the drums and harmonica, dancing, drawing and listening to music. His biggest hobby was cars, he proudly owned a large collection of car magazines, books and models that he studied daily, his sketched concepts of cars were prolific. He warmed the hearts of all who knew him and beat the many odds that life presented him with.

Sandy was predeceased by his father James S. Worrell in 1980, his stepfather John Gongos in 2008 and his mother Ruth E. Gongos (nee Austin formerly Worrell) in 2017. He is survived by his many loving Austin and Worrell Family cousins that have remained a part of his life, surrogate sisters Kerri Robertson and Barbara O’Hara, his Gongos stepfamily, and his caring DASCH family.

Sandy’s Substitute Decision Makers Kerri Robertson and Vera Kameda-Lacroix express sincere gratitude for the support and love given to Alex (Sandy) during these recent challenging times. Appreciation for the wonderful DASCH care and love is beyond words. We applaud this organization, particularly those of the Sandlily Home in his earlier years and of the more recent Waller Home. We also are so grateful for the compassionate care given by the St. Boniface palliative Ward Doctors, Nurses and support staff during his stay there.

A Service will be held on Saturday August 16, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Thomson “In The Park” Funeral Home, 1291 McGillivray Boulevard, Winnipeg, MB followed by interment Saturday October 4, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in the RCMP Depot in Regina, Sask.

If people wish to memorialize Alexander’s life, contributions to DASCH Inc. (Direct Action in Support of Community Housing) 1605 Buffalo Place, Winnipeg, MB R3T 6J8, would be appreciated.

Tributes: www.thomsoninthepark.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 09, 2025