Kelowna

As workers remembered their fallen comrades Monday, Daniel Sheremeto of Kelowna can only hope that he will walk again.

The 37-year-old carpenter and father of a two-year-old daughter, fell off a roof on March 28 and broke his back.

He was rushed to Vancouver and the diagnosis was not good.

Sheremeto's mother-in-law says Daniel is paralyzed.

"It's like it's somebody else's life, it just doesn't seem real," says Wendy Dunne.

She says the hard working Sheremeto believes that he will walk again, but Dunne says that reality is slowly beginning to sink in.

"He has his moments. He's not feeling sorry for himself, he feels worse for his family. The doctors are saying that he probably won't walk again, but you never give up hope."

Sheremeto's employer has agreed to pick up some of the expenses in modifying his house for wheelchair access, but Dunne says the bills are already beginning to add-up.

"Now that he's out of the hospital, Workers Comp doesn't pay for her (wife) lodging and she says she will not leave him there. That's not an option for her and that's why I'm trying to raise as much money as I can because they need it now."

Dunne estimates that Sheremeto will need another three or four months of rehab before he can return to Kelowna.

To help pay for some of the bills, Dunne has set up a trust fund for Sheremeto. All donations can be made at any TD Canada Trust. The fund is in Dunne's name.

Monday marked the 24th annual Day of Mourning for workers killed or seriously injured on the job. More than 135 workers in BC lost their lives in 2007.

Interview with Wendy Dunne (Kelly Hayes)