Tyler Douglas McKay

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tyler Douglas McKay of Margaree Forks, N.S. on June 5, 2023.  Tyler was born in Edmonton, Alberta on a beautiful summer day in mid-July to Kenneth Michael McKay and Debora Lee (Bushor/McKay) Arsenault.  He was their second child and younger brother to Teryl Ann McKay.

At the young age of 33 he left this world the same way that he lived every day of his young life – on his own terms and in his own very unique way. He was a quiet young man who mostly kept to himself but if you met him, you would have instantly liked him because of his soft, kind ways and charming smile.

His energy and vigour meant that he was an active child, he kept everyone’s lives busy and full, yet he was also sensitive and deeply thoughtful.  From the beginning he took great joy in exploring the world about him with gusto and abandon.  He passionately loved the outdoors and every living creature it contained.  He and his friend Brian did their best to capture some of those creatures in any container or bottle available much to the fright of their parents at times.

As a child Tyler was outgoing and made friends wherever he went, although sometimes he was so busy having fun with his new friend that he didn’t always bother to ask them their name –but he still considered them as his friend!  He had a wonderful, quirky, and hilarious sense of humour and when he found something funny there was no doubt about it because you would hear his loud laughter peeling throughout the house.  That laugh exploded from the core of his being and you couldn’t help but laugh yourself at the sound of such pure joy.

He never knew a moment of boredom in his life much to the consternation of his parents when they attempted to discipline him for some misdemeanor by sending him to his room.  Tyler would be found later completely engrossed in some quiet activity and oblivious to the fact that he was supposed to be contemplating his errant ways instead of having fun.

To know Tyler was to know someone who was passionate about the things that moved him. He loved the world of cinema and movie making and was the go-to guy if you were looking for a great movie to watch. With his inquisitive mind Tyler had life-long quest of learning new things, although it was painfully clear to his teachers that he disliked constructive education. He loved to watch documentaries and to discover his world in less conventional ways.  Tyler was also passionate about music and one of his greatest joys was to introduce you to a wonderful new song or artist that he had discovered.  Tyler enjoyed many genres of music ranging, surprisingly, from Edith Piaf to Stevie Wonder. From a young age he had an artistic flair.  It all started with simple caricatures but evolved into more intricate art and then into carving various types of rock and wood.  You might not think so by his slim physique but Tyler was also passionate about food. It didn’t matter where he was when he caught the delicious smells wafting through the house he had to make his way to the kitchen to see what was cooking and possibly have a taste.  You might think he would sit and scarf down his food but that was not our Tyler, instead he would eat slowly, savouring each and every bite of deliciousness.  He derived much pleasure from nature and spent many hours hiking out in the woods looking for a new waterfall or place to take a refreshing dip. Tyler also had an affinity for all living creatures and treasured every sighting of an animal in its own natural splendour.

Most people meeting Tyler would not realize the true depth of his soul and character.  You would probably not have any idea that he had an amazing ability to see all things in life with a unique clarity and depth.  With his distinctive way of seeing things it was very interesting to talk to him about life and the world around us.  Undoubtedly after a conversation with Tyler your eyes would be opened to a distinctive insight that you might not have considered before.

Tyler was the type of person who thought outside of the box and had the most interesting insights.  One day we were talking about whether he preferred cats or dogs and he said to me that he preferred cats.  When I asked him why he told me that dogs just love everyone but cats are discriminating so if a cat likes you that means so much more than if a dog likes you – because they naturally like everyone!  So I ask you, “How can you argue with that kind of logic?”

Before the age of 8 his world was rocked by a terrible tragedy.  On a day that was supposed to have been a fun family canoeing adventure, while navigating a strong current, their canoe was flipped and his Dad was taken from his life.  This catastrophic event shaped this introspective and soft-hearted young boy that was Tyler forever. He always loved deeply, treasured family and his roots and Tyler spent the remainder of his years searching for answers to life and its purpose.

He endured his traditional schooling and after graduating from high school went off to Toronto Film School to learn the art of filmmaking. His passion for film was being realized and he was thrilled to work on music videos and several small films.  He didn’t complete his training but tried to make a life in film for a short while.  After this Tyler worked in Toronto and Vancouver doing concrete re-construction until he was offered the opportunity to work at a ground-breaking medicinal marijuana facility.  He moved to Cape Breton to be close to family and worked at Larch Wood before working as a labourer at various construction jobs.

As an adult Tyler lived quietly and preferred spending time peacefully doing the things that he enjoyed, in his own solitary way, such as hiking, swimming at the beach, listening to his much loved music and re-watching his favourite movies. He had a depth of character that only those who knew him best would understand. He saw and appreciated beauty in the simplest of things and that’s one of the attributes that made him so special.  If he were here today he would tell us to pick ourselves up and use this to deepen the meaning of our life and to keep on!  In his quiet way he left his mark on all those who knew him and he has left a hole in our hearts that can never be filled.

Tyler was pre-deceased by father, Kenneth McKay, maternal grandparents, Marie (LeBlanc) Bushor and Joseph Bushor; paternal grandparents, Lillian (Hadley) McKay and Martin McKay; aunts, Monique Bushor, Darlene (Bushor) Arsenault, Lenora (McKay) Scott; uncle, Douglas McKay.

He will be lovingly missed by his mother, Debora (Bushor-McKay) Arsenault; step-father, Louis Arsenault; sister Teryl McKay; uncles and aunts as well as numerous cousins

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at Belle Cote Community Centre from 3 to 7pm starting with a memorial service at 3pm with Father Peter LeBlanc officiating. Anyone wanting to share a story or thought should plan to join the family for 3pm. Private burial at a later date. Donations in Tyler’s memory can be made to a charity of your choice.

We will miss you bud until we meet again!