Dozens attend vigil in Ladner, B.C., for Humboldt hockey players
'I think it's time for us to just acknowledge that at a moment like this, it's OK to feel and hurt and grieve'
Dozens of people from across the Lower Mainland attended a vigil at Lighthouse Church in Ladner, B.C. to remember and honour the victims of a tragic bus crash in Saskatchewan that killed 15 people and injured 14.
The B.C. vigil coincided with the one held in Humboldt.
Most of the people on the bus were players and staff of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team.
The bus collided with a transport truck near Tisdale, Sask. on Friday.
Come together and grieve
The Lighthouse Church's pastor and Vancouver Giants' chaplin Danny Stebeck organized the B.C. event so people would have a place to come together to grieve.
"In our culture too often we bottle it up, we hold it in, boys don't cry kind-of-thing," he said. "I think it's time for us to just acknowledge that at a moment like this, it's OK to feel and hurt and grieve."
People came from across the Lower Mainland, including Vancouver Giants bus driver Derek Holloway.
"It's a terrible, terrible tragedy and it hit hard," he said, "I think of all the kids on my bus and how quickly it can happen, they're having fun doing stuff and then all of a sudden its over, it's just terrible."
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HumboldtBroncos?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HumboldtBroncos</a> tragedy hits close to home, says <a href="https://twitter.com/WHLGiants?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WHLGiants</a> volunteer John McGrandle <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayforHumbodlt?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrayforHumbodlt</a> <a href="https://t.co/mg9ckwTNVH">pic.twitter.com/mg9ckwTNVH</a>
—@tinalovgreenPlayers of local hockey teams attended along with billet families and parents who could identify with the tragedy.
"I think of it as if my children were going to their favourite sport or competition and they passed away, it's just something that I don't think would cross any parents' mind, so I wanted to be here and support.," said Stephanie Thomas, a mother of three.
Inside the church, the names, ages and hometowns of all the victims were displayed along a wall. There was also a board for people to leave messages of support and love.