‘It is a struggle every day’ says family of Calgary stabbing victim Zackariah Rathwell

CALGARY- As funerals got underway this week for the five people killed during a stabbing spree in Brentwood, the family of one of the victims has released a statement.

Zackariah Rathwell died early Tuesday morning, during the attack at a house party celebrating the end of the school year. He was the lead singer in a rock band called Zackariah & The Prophets, and had been studying at the Alberta College of Art and Design.

READ MORE: 5 victims of Brentwood stabbing spree identified

On Sunday evening, the Rathwells released a statement which reads in part:

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We are devastated by what happened. It is a struggle every day to understand that Zackariah won’t be coming home. He was so close to so many, and touched the lives of everyone he came into contact with.

We know that the City of Calgary is grieving for the loss of these bright young people.

To the other families, please accept our deepest condolences for your loss, no one should ever have to lose someone who was so young and full of so much potential.  

We would like to thank the Calgary Police Service for their swift response and all of their support.

We would like to thank Air Canada for getting Zackariah’s brother, Mason, home to his family so quickly.

We would also like to thank everyone who has offered their prayers and condolences. We know that as we grieve, the city of Calgary grieves with us. Thank you for all your thoughts and all your prayers. Thank you for caring about Zack.

He was an amazing kid who grew into an amazing man. We didn’t have him for very long, but we are so very grateful for the time that we did have him. We are all going to miss him so much.

Rathwell’s funeral will be held at Centre Street Church on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. The public is invited, and in lieu of flowers the family is requesting that donations be made to the Zackariah James Rathwell Trust Fund at any RBC location. It will be used to establish a scholarship to help other students pursue their dreams in the arts.

READ MORE: Scholarship created in honour of Brentwood stabbing victim Kaiti Perras