Loved ones mourn Barrie man who died after Family Day assault
The Schneider family is spending their Family Day mourning the first anniversary of the day Ron Peterson died following an assault in downtown Barrie.
"We miss him and love him so much, and not a day goes by where we don't think about him, you know, like not a day," said Careena Schneider, Peterson's daughter.
"I just want him to know that we're okay, but we miss him," said Lori Schneider, Peterson's widow.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
The 47-year-old Barrie man, also known as Ron Brennan, lost his life in the hospital after family members say he was stabbed along Collier Street on Family Day last year.
Loved ones say Peterson was a leader and a protector for those battling homelessness and addiction.
"He was a big part of the community. It really hurt everybody when he wasn't here anymore," said Careena.
The men accused in the homicide investigation remain behind bars, facing several charges, including second-degree murder. The allegations against them have not been tested in court.
Meanwhile, Lori and Careena remind others to hold close to what they have before it's gone.
"Just reach out and tell them that you love them and you're proud of them no matter what choices they made because when they do make those choices, it's not because they don't love you, it's because they don't love themself," said Lori.
The Schneiders invite the public to join them by the Southshore Community Centre at Barrie's waterfront on Lakeshore Drive Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to release lanterns and balloons for those who are gone but not forgotten.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why it's 'very hard' to find work in Canada
Vacancies have steadily fallen since the glut of nearly one million open posts in 2022. At the time, one in three businesses had trouble hiring staff due to a labour shortage. Since then, vacancies have dropped.
After another Liberal loss, Trudeau says there are 'all sorts of reflections' to do
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's going to 'stay focused' on governing after being handed his second byelection upset in recent months, as members of his front bench say they’re 'disappointed' in the party's latest showing at the polls.
A wave of exploding pagers in Lebanon and Syria kills at least 9, including members of Hezbollah
Pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded near simultaneously in Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday, killing at least nine people -- including an 8-year-old girl -- and wounding several thousand, officials said. They blamed Israel in what appeared to be a sophisticated, remote attack.
How to prevent lung cancer, regardless of whether you smoke, according to a doctor
More people who have never touched a cigarette are getting lung cancer, but there are ways to prevent it, according to a doctor.
Two people charged in murder of Halifax teen; police believe remains have been found
Halifax Regional Police believe Devon Sinclair Marsman, who disappeared in 2022, was the victim of a homicide and two people have now been charged in his death.
Health Canada approves updated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
Health Canada has authorized Moderna's updated COVID-19 vaccine that protects against currently circulating variants of the virus.
A key employee who called the Titan unsafe testifies the company only wanted to make money
A key employee who labelled a doomed experimental submersible unsafe prior to its last, fatal voyage testified Tuesday that he frequently clashed with the company's co-founder and felt the company was committed only to making money.
These people say they got listeria after drinking recalled plant-based milks
The Canadian Press spoke to 10 people, from the parents of a toddler to an 89-year-old senior, who say they became sick with listeria after drinking from cartons of plant-based milk stamped with the recalled product code. Here's a look at some of their experiences.
Canada's inflation cools to 2% in August, the smallest gain since early 2021
Canada's annual inflation rate reached the central bank's target in August at it cooled to 2 per cent, its lowest level since February 2021, data showed on Tuesday.