People came together once again in Tumbler Ridge, this time for Sunday service — the first since a mass shooting in the town left nine people dead.
Those gathered at Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church say the service was longer than usual, and they prayed for everyone who has been impacted by the tragedy.
“Still a lot of heartbreak and grief, even myself,” said Kyle McKenzie, who attended the service. “I had to break down and cry a lot of times, but I am pretty good at composing myself. We were just singing and praising the Lord, praying for people and praying for the victims.”
At a separate service at the New Life Assembly, Pastor Jim Caruso spoke of the bond between residents of the grieving town.
“Tumbler Ridge is a very special place, because it’s family,” Caruso said.
“I saw it already. I saw how, because of this tragedy, people just stand on the street and hug each other.”
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 kilometres away, Langley residents gathered to mourn the loss of Tumbler Ridge shooting victim Zoey Benoit, who once called their city home.
“She has a really deep connection to our community,” said Langley City Mayor Nathan Pachal.
“A lot of people are grieving, angry, upset. There are a lot of emotions right now.”
Anna Streibel, Zoey’s former babysitter, says she watched the girl grow up.
“She was honestly just the happiest girl ever. She had the most beautiful smile, and she was never afraid to show it,” Streibel said. “Probably the most unique, outgoing person ever. There are so many nice things I could say about her, and it would never end.”
Zoey attended Blacklock Elementary School in Langley before moving to Tumbler Ridge two years ago. The community is remembering the 12-year-old as a fun girl who wasn’t afraid to stand for what she believed in.
“Zoey was quite a tough girl. She knew right from wrong at a very young age, and she [would never] back down to anyone,” Streibel said.
“It didn’t matter how old, what size they were…if anyone messed with someone she cared about, she was not afraid to stand up for them.”
She also had a sense of humour.
“I remember I came over shortly after she broke her arm. She was climbing in the backyard and had fallen from a high height,” she shared.
“She was super happy to have a cast, everyone was drawing on it and stuff. I remember that was a pretty funny moment.”
Streibel says she is having difficulty processing what happened.
“You never expect that you would outlive someone almost half your age.”
It has been less than a week since an armed teenager killed her mother and 11-year-old half-brother before going to the local school and fatally shooting five students and an education assistant.
