Airdrie remembers boy, 6, who fell through ice
Airdrie residents gathered Friday night to remember the six-year-old boy who fell through the ice on a canal.
The candlelight vigil was held on a bridge covered in stuffed animals, not far from where the boy was pulled from the icy water earlier in the week.
A few dozen people showed up at the vigil.
Mayor Peter Brown said he is proud of the way his community north of Calgary, which has lots of young families, is coming together during a "horrific tragedy."
"[This is] a resilient community that comes out to support the family in their time of need. The generosity of people, a community that really cares when something really horrific like this happens. They come out, they hug each other, they support each other," he said.
He pointed to a GoFundMe campaign set up for the family, which has already surpassed a $15,000 goal to help with funeral costs.
Tara Deweerd brought her young children to the vigil, in part because her home backs onto a pond.
"When something tragic like this happens it's a way to reinforce safety to our kids and also to show them compassion," she said. "When someone passes away, especially a child unexpectedly, we show them how we come together as a community and show them we care."
Neighbour saw children fall
The incident happened on Feb. 20. A neighbour called 911 to report seeing two children falling through the ice.
EMS, Airdrie Fire and RCMP rushed to the scene and pulled the two boys from the water.
The younger of the two — a six-year-old boy — was flown to Alberta Children's Hospital by STARS Air Ambulance in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
The boy's 10-year-old brother was taken to hospital by ground ambulance in stable condition with concerns of hypothermia.
MORE CALGARY NEWS | Nurse practioners hired in Calgary, Edmonton under pilot project
