Toronto man fixing potholes for free after friend's fatal crash
Karam Alfarra has patched dangerous holes across Toronto and London in memory of his childhood friend; he's raising funds to expand the volunteer effort.
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Two years ago, Karam Alfarra lost his childhood friend to a pothole-related motorcycle accident in Saudi Arabia. The tragedy inspired him to take action against Toronto's road hazards.
Alfarra, known online as Sanchez, created Patching Ontario Volunteer, an initiative where he and his team fill dangerous potholes reported by locals. "I've noticed a lot of people suffer," he said. "Whatever is going on with the economy, people are paying so much money on getting their cars repaired and rims getting broken. They're suffering from loss. So I decided to do something good in memory of my friend."
To date, he's fixed potholes across London, Scarborough, and downtown Toronto, including on Jane Street, Queen Street, and in front of the University of Toronto's Scarborough campus. His work has caught the attention of city councillor candidate Amanda Coombs, who requested his team repair a problematic pothole on Jane Street.
"The biggest challenge is those potholes that you see day-to-day have everyone suffering from them," Alfarra said. But seeing community support keeps him going: "You would be surprised how many volunteers from people across Ontario are trying to join this mission. It's inspiring to show people that there are still good people out there who can take harm away from others."
Alfarra has been funding most repairs out of pocket but recently launched a GoFundMe with a $30,000 goal. As of publication, $2,347 has been raised. Marathon Equipment, a Canadian asphalt manufacturer, has also provided safety tools and equipment to support the volunteer effort.
