Fund started to support fiancée of Auburn crash victim, who had plans of a ‘fairytale wedding’
“A life lost much too soon."
After a head-on Route 20 crash killed a Douglas man, the community has come together to support his fiancee through a GoFundMe campaign, raising $4,365 of its $25,000 goal in just under 24 hours. Keith Arsenault, 34, was running errands before starting his shift at work when his car was struck by a pickup truck on Feb. 27.
Just a week before the crash, he posted on Facebook, saying he couldn’t wait to be on vacation with his fiancée, Laura Knight.
“3 more weeks and I’ll be sitting on a beach in Ft Lauderdale shirtless with my toes in the sand with my soon to be wife,” Arsenault wrote.
On Sunday, he died from his injuries at the UMass Memorial Medical Center. Arsenault was only two weeks and a day away from his 35th birthday.
“A life lost much too soon,” said Anna DoCurral, the GoFundMe campaign organizer.
In the wake of his death, DoCurral hopes to raise enough money to support Knight, who’s pursuing a doctorate in psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner studies.
“We would love to ease any potential financial stressors for Laura and allow her to continue to pursue the dreams they shared without any excessive financial burden,” she said. “We hope Laura is able to celebrate his life and continue encouraging others to ‘do the right thing,’ as Keith so often would say.”
Arsenault worked at UMass Psychiatric Treatment and Recovery Center as a mental health associate.
“Those who knew him described him as dedicated, reliable, compassionate, ‘a gentle giant,’” DoCurral said.
Knight shared a similar passion. She works as a nurse at both Milford Hospital and Emergency Mental Health at UMass.
“Together they shared a home and started a family with their two rescue dogs, Vincent and Peyton,” DoCurral said. “They had a fairytale wedding planned for January 2021, counting down the days, and dreams of having their own children after Laura finished pursuing her doctorate.”
She said Arsenault was always expressing his love and support for Knight.
Auburn Police Detective Sgt. R. Scott Mills said the crash that killed Arsenault is still under investigation, but the pickup truck driver — 30-year-old Dennis Maccarone — has been charged with motor vehicle homicide and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
Arsenault is survived by his mother, sister, fiancée, and many friends.
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