PENTICTON – Hundreds of people joined in a community celebration to honour the memory of James Christian McIntosh in Penticton on Sunday.
“He really liked to play a lot and [it’s] is a nice day, if only he was down with us to play,” says 9-year-old Gabriel Hall, speaking about his former schoolmate at Holy Cross School.
The five-year-old was killed when he was run over by a pickup truck almost two weeks ago. Condolences from the community have poured in since the boy’s death.
“We are really overwhelmed with everybody’s generosity. More than anything we are really overhwhelmed by the support and the tremendous love that we have been getting in different forms from food, the gym I go to they’ve been giving meals and the support for our other little guy, it’s just been lovely,” says James’ mother Elizabeth McIntosh.
READ MORE: ‘Fly with the angels James’ Condolences pour in for Penticton boy killed
Although the community is still in mourning, on Sunday, they celebrated the young boy’s life by doing some of his favourite things at LocoLanding Adventure Park and by raising money for the family.
“We decided as our last day of operation this season to open the gates and have 100 per cent of the proceeds go towards the McIntosh family in memory of James,” says LocoLanding owner Diana Stirling.
James’ mother told Global News he loved going to the adventure park.
“James had been to LocoLanding many times. He was an amazing kiddo and it’s wonderful to see everybody here celebrating him and supporting us,” says McIntosh.
She says James loved being active in the outdoors.
Close to 1,000 people came together to help the family get through this difficult time, including B.C. Ambulance Service (BCAS) paramedics who organized a barbeque fundraiser set up at the adventure park.
“We have some of our colleagues here donating their time and efforts to see if we can help them as a family get through this,” says BCAS paramedic Barry Nicol.
“It’s such a tragic thing.”
Twenty-five LocoLanding staff members donated their time for the celebration of life event.
“We are all such a close family so the community to us is a family,” says Madison Cook, who works at the park.
Fellow parents also showing their support, like Hall’s mother, Kelly Hopkins who helped organize the initiaitve.
“There is already a GoFundMe page that has been set up and there’s over $7,000 raised that way,” says Hopkins. “We are hoping to match those funds as it would be amazing to turn those funds over to the family and have them do what they need to do with the money.”
Police say McIntosh, his brother and father were crossing the street in a crosswalk at the intersection of Highway 97 and Green Mountain Road when the accident happened.
“[James’ brother] was there for all the trauma, he remembers it,” says McIntosh. “It’s nice for him to have an escape, everybody has been really supportive.”
The Independent Investigations Office has taken over the case as it was an off-duty RCMP officer in his personal vehicle that fatally struck James.
READ MORE: IIO investigates fatal police-involved collision in Penticton
As the investigation into the accident proceeds, the community continues to remember the fun-loving boy.
“Jamesy was an extraordinary little guy and it’s testament to him that everybody is here. I’m sure other communities suppor ttheir own but I’ve never seen anything like this” says McIntosh.
“It’s supported us in a time when we don’t have the ability to stand.”
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