SYDNEY RIVER, N.S. - The lone survivor in one of Cape Breton’s most notorious crimes has died at age 46.

The family of Joan "Arlene" MacNeil confirmed her passing on Wednesday at the Halifax Infirmary.

MacNeil was just 20 years old when she survived getting shot in the head as three men attempted to rob the Sydney River McDonald’s where she worked in 1992.

She was left disabled, and three others lost their lives in the botched robbery. Now her death is bringing back memories for those who rallied around to support her almost 27 years ago.

“I’m sure it’s not the life that Arleen or her family thought that she would have, and it’s just so very sad that three individuals decided what her life would be,” said Kathy Burrough, the sister of one of the men who was killed in the incident.

MacNeil’s family describes her as a lover of country music, the queen of crazy eights, who enjoyed long walks in her wheelchair. She is being remembered as a person who had a positive outlook on life, despite what she had to overcome.

“I was very emotional when I heard she had passed,” said Burrough, “We know the pain that her mother, her family, her friends are going through. They have lived with it almost 27 years.”

Shortly after the crime occurred in 1992, the community rallied behind the MacNeil family raising more than 100 thousand dollars for her long-term care.

And for most of her life, MacNeil lived at a facility in Bridgewater where she received specialized care.

After all these years Burrough’s has remained angry and upset with the three men responsible for the crime.

Derek Wood and Freeman MacNeil remain behind bars, but Darren Muise was granted parole for good behavior and now lives in British Columbia – and Burrough’s feels they should have all died in prison.

“Right now it’s just all about Arlene and her family. Her journey is over, actually the first thing I thought of is the four of them are together again,” she said.

Arlene MacNeil’s funeral is scheduled for Tuesday at St. Joseph’s Church in her home community of Little Bras D’Or, in Cape Breton.
 

With files from CTV Atlantic's Kyle Moore.