Hundreds of red balloons line houses across St. Thomas, Ont., as residents from across the city rallied together Monday night during a vigil in memory of Aiden Curtis.
A growing crowd of red shirts gathered at the site of the fatal crash at Talbot Street and Caso Crossing around 7:30 p.m., on the evening of what would have been Curtis’s 12th birthday.
“It was a birthday that I didn’t know I was going to be celebrating one week ago, and until last week, none of us thought we’d be celebrating this child’s life together,” said Karen Vecchio, the member of Parliament for Elgin—Middlesex—London, during Monday’s vigil.
“But it’s because of a tragic accident that we’re all here together as a community to support Aiden’s family at a time when they need us most.”
Jennifer Vander-Berghe, the organizer of the vigil, said that “it was a 24-hour turnaround to bring this event together.”
She told Global News that to see the community come together to provide support on such short notice was nothing short of “amazing.”
“The family needs all the support that they can get during this time, and I am so proud to live in a community that rallied around a family in 24 hours to come out and do a candlelight vigil,” she said.
The fatal crash happened on July 4 when an allegedly impaired driver jumped the curb and struck five pedestrians. Curtis was pronounced dead at the scene.
One woman, identified as Carol Wilson, remains in hospital in critical condition. Three others were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Within one week, the community band together in support of the families affected, including the launch of the red balloon initiative in honour of Curtis, who is being remembered as someone whose smile could light up a room.
Mayor Joe Preston thanked community members for their strength and kindness to one another during Monday’s vigil.
“Our community has lost a little bit of its heart. But this growth together and the time we’ve had with each other has helped heal it and make it bigger,” he said. “Our community can only be stronger if we continue to help out each other and help our friends.”
“Thank you, St. Thomas, for showing the ability of this community to come together and be good to each other,” Preston said.
Resident Tanish Zovko, 23, expressed similar sentiments at the steps of the memorial site at the Brunswick Tavern. While also celebrating her birthday on Monday, the thought of Curtis not being able to spend his with his family was heartbreaking, she said.
“He should be celebrating and with his loved ones right now, not gone,” she said.
“Aiden should be celebrating with family at home, celebrating his culture, and having fun,” added eight-year-old Nala Zovko. “While his life was cut short, I just hope he’s in a better place now.”
They both added that the vigil will be a day they will never forget, with 11-year-old Makenzie Zovko pointing to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) ribbons that were handed out during the event. “I’ll remember what happened here forever,” she said.
Following the fatal collision, a 19-year-old man was charged with impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm. During a brief court appearance on July 5, the man was released on bail with conditions.
“Impaired driving is 100 per cent preventable,” said Laura Thompson, a volunteer with MADD London. “It’s never been easier to plan ahead. And it’s so important because not only can you risk your own life, but you risk the lives of others.”
Thompson told Global News that she lost her mother-in-law due to an impaired driving accident back in September. “It’s an awful thing to lose someone in such a tragic way, especially when they’re so young,” she said.
But she said that to see the people of St. Thomas come together in showing their support is incredible. “While I was driving into St. Thomas, I started seeing the red balloons and it just warmed my heart.”
As for Vecchio, she said the next few weeks and months are going to be extraordinarily difficult. “But seeing this community come together and talk, relate, and understand what everybody’s going through is extraordinary.”
“It’s a time for love and it’s definitely a time for love for Aiden’s family,” she said.
“We all know that we can do better and it’s the work that MADD is doing with all of the families that we have seen lost that we must continue to work to eradicate intoxicated and impaired driving.”
A funeral service for Curtis is scheduled for Tuesday and the family has asked that memorial donations be made to MADD Canada or to the CNIB.
A GoFundMe set up to support the family had as of Monday evening raised more than three times its $10,000 goal.
A GoFundMe has also been set up for Carol Wilson and her family.
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