WATCH ABOVE: About 400 people on motorbikes and in classic cars turned out for a charity ride in Red Deer. As Carolyn Kury de Castillo reports, the little girls’ aunt was there and expressed the family’s gratitude.
CALGARY – It’s a tragedy that shocked and saddened people across the country.
Earlier this week, three young sisters from central Alberta died in a tragic farming accident involving a canola truck.
Sisters Catie, 13, Dara, 11, and Jana, 11, were playing on a truck loaded with canola at a rural property 15 kilometres east of Rocky Mountain House on Tuesday when they were buried by the seed.
READ MORE: 3 young sisters killed in farming incident in Central Alberta
Saturday, a huge show of support showed up for the family of the victims.
About 400 people on motorbikes and classic cars turned out for a charity bike ride in Red Deer.
The little girl’s aunt was there and expressed the family’s gratitude.
Ken Forster was expecting 13-year-old Catie Bott to be babysitting his grandkids this weekend.
The longtime Bott family friend never could have imagined how the week would end.
“Just a bubbly fun kid. Just loves to help. Just the greatest heart in the world,” Foster said. “Katie was just there for them and just really took care of them as if they were her own family. That’s how well she took care of them and it was just wonderful and they just loved her.”
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Catie and her two little sisters are being remembered at this charity ride organized by local bike groups.
“I was only expecting 20 to 40 bikes,” ride organizer Derek Beeston said.
Hundreds came to show their support for Roger and Bonita Bott.
“I’m a father. I have four kids. My friend Derek who actually organized this, he’s a father and a lot of my friends have kids. It’s a real tragedy. But for our community spirit, it’s showing the family that the community cares about people who live here,” Bott family friend Randy Hellmer said.
The ride goes from Red Deer to Eckville, near the farm where the four Bott family kids lived.
Parents Roger and Bonita Bott sit with their children Caleb, 9, Catie, 13, Jana, 11 and Dara, 11.
“The kids wanted that for themselves. That’s what they loved. They loved every step of their life and so, their life was taken in doing exactly what they wanted to do,” Forster said.
Mourning the loss of her three nieces, Bonita Bott’s sister Kimberly Devereux, expressed her gratitude for the turnout.
“There is lots of love and we really, as a family are overwhelmed. And we appreciate it so so much. I don’t have any words to express the appreciation. Just, thank you,” Devereux said.
“It’s amazing and it’s overwhelming. There are no words. The support means so much to the family and it makes it just a little easier.”
The kindness and generosity of strangers and the support of family and faith, is easing the pain for a family burdened with too much.
“We have the hope we will see those girls again. We know that. And Caleb, their little brother said it earlier. He said mom, if god can bring good things out of bad, there must be something awful good coming. So, this is part of it,’ Devereux said.
The bikers delivered the money they raised to the Eckville Credit Union to help support the family.
A Bott family trust fund page has reached over a hundred thousand dollars for the Bott family.
A funeral will be held for the three girls at the CrossRoads Church in Red Deer at 1:00 p.m. Friday.
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