Condolences pour in for three killed in Muskoka crash

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Condolences have been pouring in online since last Thursday's crash north of Muskoka which claimed the lives of three young Toronto men, including one from North York.

Kourosh Totonchian, 19, of North York, Cory Mintz, 20, of the Avenue Road and Lawrence Avenue area, and Tyler Mulcahy, 20, a graduate of Upper Canada College, died when the car they were in cut across the road July 3, smashed through a guardrail and struck a tree before veering down an embankment and coming to a stop on its side in the Joseph River, just east of Minett, north of Bracebridge.

A fourth person in the car, Nastasia Elzinga, 19, was treated for minor injuries at South Muskoka Memorial Hospital and released. The McGill University student walked away with scrapes and bruises.

Passersby tried to rescue the trio trapped in the car but they were pronounced dead at the scene.

The friends were staying at Mintz's mother's cottage.

Bracebridge OPP say alcohol and speed may be factors in the crash.

Mulcahy, 20, whose family is from Forest Hill, recently returned home from studying at the University of San Diego and planned to return in the fall for his second year of post-secondary studies.

Mintz, a graduate of Forest Hill Collegiate Institute and former University of Western Ontario student, was buried July 6 at Pardes Shalom Cemetery in Maple. Totonchian was attending the University of British Columbia but moved back this summer to be closer to his family. He became friendly with Mintz during their time at Crestwood Preparatory College on Brookbanks Drive in North York. Totonchian, whose funeral was held the same day as Mintz's, was buried at York Cemetery on Beecroft Road. He had travelled to Tanzania in the summer of 2005 after winning a Canadian International Development Agency youth contest.

Numerous postings on Mintz's Facebook profile paint a picture of a young man who enjoyed life and always brought a smile to the faces of those who knew him.

"I don't know what to say ... there are no words to describe the pain I am feeling for our loss ... RIP," wrote Shahdokht Rasouli.

Jillian Rose wrote, "I feel weird writing on your wall ... but maybe, just maybe wherever you are right now I hope you are reading this and everyone else's posts to know how much everyone loves you and how awesome you are."

Mulcahy's family has set up an online condolence site for their son at www.tylermulcahy.com.

His funeral is scheduled to be held July 11 at Grace Church on the Hill, 300 Lonsdale Rd., at 1 p.m.