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Bouquets of flowers surrounded a framed photo of one of the victims who was killed at a Vancouver Filipino street festival outside of a Regina church.
A crowd of about 70 people dressed in black for the candlelight vigil outside the Holy Rosary Cathedral to remember the 11 killed and dozens more hurt after a man drove an SUV into the Lapu Lapu Day event in south Vancouver on Saturday.
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A photo of victim Jen Darbellay was placed at the bottom of the cathedral’s steps while a choir sang out to those grieving on Wednesday evening.
A small display remembering the victims sat at the bottom of the steps at the church. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)
Darbellay, 50, was being remembered by one her family members from Regina.
“We were happy to support her in her time of of turmoil,” said Alvin Pulga, a member of the Philippine Association of Saskatchewan. “Our hearts go out to her.”
Part of the reason for the vigil, he said, was to reach out to families that have been affected by the tragedy.
A crowd of about 70 people dressed in black for the candlelight vigil outside the Holy Rosary Cathedral in Regina. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)
“It wasn’t only the Filipino community that was hard hit by this,” Pulga said.
A GoFundMe page dedicated to Darbellay, said she left behind a husband and two kids.
“Jen was a one-of-a-kind,” the fundraising page read. “She was an incredibly thoughtful, warm, caring, smart, stylish, artistic woman. A gifted painter, a selfless mother, and a loving wife. She gave the best hugs, was always there to listen without judgment, and had the sweetest voice.”
The fundraiser has brought in more than $162,000 so far.
Many of the people attending the vigil wiped away tears as prayers were said at the top of the church steps.
Pulga said he felt stunned when he first learned of the attack, but his shock shifted to sorrow as he read reports about the victims and their families.
“Seeing the terror and sadness that they’re going through, it made this event and this ceremony just more important,” Pulga said. “Things that we think are so serious in our day-to-day lives, it kind of just muted that until tonight, because this just felt more important.”
Candles were lit in front of the Holy Rosary Cathedral steps on Wednesday in Regina. (Gillian Massie/ 980 CJME)
Pepito Escanlar, Philippine honorary consul in Regina, said he feels for the victims and their families in British Columbia.
“As a Filipino community, we feel like we’re part of that whole,” he said. “When one part is hurt, we all feel it.”
He said its more important as ever to celebrate Filipino culture in the wake of the tragedy.
Vancouver Police have charged 30-year-old Kai-ji Adam Lo with eight counts of second-degree murder in connection with the attack, but more charges are expected to come once all of the victims are identified.
The victims in the attack range from age five to 65.
Another vigil was held in Saskatoon at Civic Square on Wednesday night.
