People In Ontario Are Fundraising For The 6 Barrie Crash Victims & The Support Is Touching
Support is pouring in for the families of the Barrie car crash victims, with online fundraisers raising thousands.
This article contains content that may be upsetting to some of our readers.
Family-penned tributes to Jersey Mitchell, Haley Marin, Curtis King, Jason Ono-O'Connor, Luke West and River Wells, who were all in their 20s, began flooding social media shortly after police confirmed the worst.
"Jason was fair-minded and kind, and possessed a wicked sense of humour. He treasured time spent with family and friends," Herbert Ono, O'Connor's father, wrote in a heartfelt Facebook post.
Ripple Of Kindness Barrie, a group that supports local charitable organizations, has collected over $76,000 in donations to help "pay or offset the cost of funeral expenses."
Individual fundraisers have also been set up for Mitchell, Wells and Marin, which have raised $10,000 to $20,000.
"River was a very well known athlete in our community, we would love to contribute his love and passion for sports in memory of him at a later date," a description of Wells' fundraiser states.
Mitchell and Marin are both credited in their pages' comment section as being loving and caring individuals who impacted their community through their remarkable capacity for kindness.
Luke West was heartwarmingly honoured by the Bombers Jr C. Lacrosse Club, an organization he was part of as both a player and coach.
"Westy - the impact that you had on your teammates, coaches, and the young men you coached is immeasurable. Few have ever worked harder in Bomber Blue," the post reads.
Puneet Gill, a longtime friend of Curtis King, shared a touching video tribute on his Facebook page. The clips show crowds of people gathered around the young man's truck, seen covered in balloons.
The six victims had initially reported missing, but hopes were crushed when investigators discovered their bodies around 2:00 a.m. on August 28, 2022, near McKay Road West and County Road 27.
The investigation is ongoing.
