A vigil will be held Sunday night to remember an Edmonton teen who died after being pulled from a pond in the north part of the city.
A Light the Night event will take place Sunday at 9:30 p.m. at the pond at 82 Street and Crystallina Nera Way.
Khrystyna Maksymova and her 11-year-old sister were walking a dog near a pond in the area of 82 Street and Crystallina Nera Way on the afternoon of July 22.
The dog went into the water and Maksymova went in after it but got caught up in the mud and reeds and wasn’t able to make it out.
READ MORE: 14-year-old girl dies after being pulled from north Edmonton pond
The acting district fire chief said on Saturday that the conditions were tough and the water had “zero visibility.”
Firefighters pulled Khrystyna, 14, out of the lake 10 minutes after crews received the call. She was taken to hospital but taken off life support Sunday.
Family spokesperson Kateryna Usova said the vigil is being organized by the community but Maksymova’s family plans to attend.
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Usova said community members have raised funds for a memorial bench with a plaque in memory of Maksymova to be placed near the pond. Candles will also be lit.
She said Maksymova’s family is coping the best they can.
“All they feel right now is they’re very grateful for all the support they get from the community and from all the people that donated,” she said, adding the family moved to Edmonton approximately three years ago and are originally from Ukraine.
The city will now conduct a review of the more than 180 stormwater ponds to determine if any additional safety measures are required, in hopes of preventing future tragedy.
READ MORE: Edmonton to conduct stormwater pond safety review after 14-year-old girl’s death
The city’s stormwater ponds are inspected, on average, 12 times per year to make sure they meet all current safety and operating standards, the city said.
There is no timeline as to when the city’s stormwater pond review will be complete.
-with files from Emily Mertz, Caley Ramsay and Sarah Kraus
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