Barrie, Ont. car crash victims to be honoured at candlelight vigil
Searching for a way to show support, Kassondra Wemp helped organize a candlelight vigil for Saturday evening for the community to pay its respects to the six young people who lost their lives in a Barrie, Ont. construction zone less than one week ago.
"Seeing the family in pain, in my heart, I can't do nothing about it, so I figured showing them that the community stands behind them and that everybody is here to support them would somewhat give them a smile even if it's just for a few minutes," said Wemp.
Wemp is anticipating a big turnout at the Spirit Catcher on Lakeshore Drive, adding all are welcome.
"At least a thousand. We've had close to 500 people on the Facebook page, and then through different news outlets, people who aren't on social media have been able to see it," stated Wemp, whose boyfriend is related to Curtis King, one of the victims.
For family and friends of the six who died in last weekend's tragedy, it has been hard to find the words to describe this week.
"It's just been really crazy. We've had an immense amount of people reach out to show their support," said Wemp.
- RELATED: Construction crew arrives to inspect damage at Barrie, Ont. crash site
- Mother of young man killed in Barrie, Ont. crash with 5 others seeks answers
- Deadly Barrie, Ont. crash investigation will take time: police
Private vigils have been held this week to honour the victims, and their families as the harsh and devastating reality settle in.
"But anybody in the same situation, I'm sure the more things come together, the more it feels real and upsetting," added Wemp.
A GoFundMe campaign initiated by Ripple of Kindness Barrie for the victim's families has already raised more than $80,000 in the few days since its launch.
"That's amazing. I'm sure the families really appreciate that. They're going through a very hard time right now, and finance-wise I'm sure that what they have to deal with is a lot, so I'm sure that's going to help them a lot," said Wemp.
The candlelight vigil scheduled for 8 p.m. on Saturday has received generous candle donations. Those planning to attend are not expected to bring their own.
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