A family’s heartbreak is being made worse by the actions of a thief.
Six-year-old Kira Short was a happy, bubbly little girl but in 2015 after finding a tumor in her neck, she was diagnosed with a rare and very aggressive form of cancer.
On Tuesday morning Kira lost her battle with the disease. The young girl’s last moments were spent surrounded by her family at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.
But when her parents left the hospice after Kira’s death, they found their Jeep Grand Cherokee had been broken into and stripped of all their possessions.
Not only did the thief or thieves take the family’s belongings (sunglasses, $80 in loose change, a boat motor, charger and battery) but also irreplaceable mementos of their daughter.
“I had her artwork that she had drawn at her last blood work at Children’s Hospital that I hadn’t taken out of the car yet,” Kira’s dad, Peter Short said.
Both parents are distraught over losing these precious memories of their daughter.
Kira’s mom Rayanne can’t understand why anyone would take the things their daughter made. She calls the act cruel.
“Take the boat motor but why take the mementos? It’s cruel. I don’t understand, it’s cruel,” Rayanne said.
The family is asking for the keepsakes to be returned to the hospice, no questions asked.
A public candlelight vigil will be held for Kira on in Maple Ridge at the Memorial Peace Park on Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. and a fundraising ride for Kira is scheduled for Sept. 17 with the proceeds going to help the Short family.
For more on Kira, head to her Facebook page.
~ with files from Jennifer Palma