(Warning: The following story concerns a possible victim of domestic violence and may be upsetting to some readers. For those who have been affected by domestic or gender-based violence, support is available here.)
The brother of Ania Kaminski, murdered by her husband on December 29, described her as one of the most amazing human beings in the world.
“She was a very loving mother to her children,” Peter Wardzala said in a New Year’s Day interview with CTV News. “She was an amazing daughter to my mom and dad. She was an amazing sister to me.
“If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be the man I am today,” he said. “She helped me a lot in my life. Without her I was lost.”
Sunday murders
On Sunday, December 29, police were called to a home in the 0 to 100 block of Kincora Grove NW in Calgary.
Officers found a man in his 70s, Peter and Ania’s father, Stanislaw Wardzala, dead.
As police investigated, a second victim, Ania, was found dead in a home at 11:15 p.m. in the 300 block of Tuscany Ridge Heights NW.
Calgary police are investigating the deaths of a man in his 70s and a woman in her 30s, both believed to be victims of a domestic homicide on December 29, 2024.
Police say the killer was Benedict Kaminski, Ania’s husband and Stanislaw’s son-in-law.
An emergency alert was issued Monday afternoon for Benedict, whose body was discovered Monday afternoon.
Benedict Kaminski, 38, is seen in an undated photo. (Supplied/Calgary Police)
Police said both deaths on Sunday are believed to have been targeted and domestic in nature.
devastating event
Three days later, Peter tried to make sense of the devastating event. She has taken in the family’s three children, ages six, four and two, and their mother, and says she plans to raise them.
She said a Christmas family fight involving Benedict was the last straw for Ania, who was planning to leave the marriage.
“All families have arguments, fights. but yes,” he said. “There was a little family argument (on Christmas Day) and she said that was the final straw.
“He said he had tried for a long time,” he added. “The last two years, she did her best for her youngest son, Caspar, but this marked the limit and that was it.”
He described the relationship between his sister and her husband as “difficult,” but as far as he knows, it had never been violent.
“She comes from an old-school mentality from seeing how my mom was with my dad: if you’re committed to someone to marry, you’re going to stick it out through thick and thin, and try to make things work,” Wardzala said. .
“But I don’t know. Violence? I wouldn’t say violence. But the guy (Benedict) never had respect.
“My sister did everything and I feel like it was never good enough,” he said. “If there was violence I don’t know because my sister never said anything.”
He said the murder occurred because Ania went to the house, where Benedict was staying, to drop off her three children so they could visit their father.
“My sister was supposed to drop the kids off and go back to our house,” he said, “because obviously these kids were still her kids.
“There was no separation or anything. “She was being respectful.”
Overwhelmed by the support
A family friend launched a GoFundMe campaign that has already raised nearly $200,000.
Wardzala said he is overwhelmed by the support he has received from Calgarians, the Polish community, old friends and strangers who have reached out to offer whatever support they can.
“You have no idea how incredible the support has been in Calgary and also across our Polish community,” he said.
Peter said his mother and father, who he said worked for Spruce Meadows, moved from Poland to Canada when he and Ania were born to provide them with a better life.
He described his father Stanislaw as “a wonderful man.”
“He was a nature lover. “I used to hunt and camp,” Peter said.
“He just retired – it was this year – because a few years ago there were problems with flesh-eating disease. He had multiple strokes in his life. He had back surgery and the disc was removed.
“Still, even after all the things that have happened in his life, he was the most loving and understanding father, husband, and especially grandfather to the three little ones.
“He absolutely loved them.”
‘Scared’
The family’s three children moved in with Peter and his mother.
He said his mother plans to retire from her job to raise her children, while he has a “relaxed” job where he doesn’t work too many days a week.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m scared when we come home, just me and my mom and the three kids,” Peter said. “It’s heartbreaking because I don’t know how we’re going to explain this to the kids.”
“Seeing their faces when they run, everyone is happy, it makes us smile, because they are still kids having fun,” he said, “but what is the reality and my mom and I are going to do everything we can to support these kids.”
Obsessed
Peter remains haunted by the events that unfolded Sunday night, during the Christmas season, when police say domestic violence incidents are skyrocketing.
“I feel like maybe I could have done something,” he said.
In retrospect, he offers advice to anyone worried that someone they know may be at risk.
“If this ever happens where a parent has to drop a child off at the other parent’s house or something like that, please bring someone else with them,” he said. “Someone else has to be there as a support system, as a defense, as anything, because honestly you never, ever know.”
‘Big impact’
His sister was an elementary school teacher in the Rockyview County school system, where she taught first and second grade students.
“She made a huge impact wherever she went, whether it was in the Polish community or any school she taught at in the Rockyview area, she would do anything for her children,” he said.
“She was the most loving and caring mother in the world,” he added. “She never got upset about anything. If I had problems, I wouldn’t show it.
“She was always a very positive, charismatic and super strong person. “A very, very strong woman.”
Autopsies for both are scheduled for Friday.
For more information about the GoFundMe campaign, go here.
For more information on domestic violence support in Calgary, go here.
With files from CTV’s Michael Franklin, Damien Wood and Mason Depatie
