Princesses in tiaras and superheroes in capes and masks could be seen at the Chicken Chef on Portage Avenue all Saturday morning as a fundraiser took place for two of the survivors of a deadly shooting in Las Vegas two weeks ago.
Jan Lambourne and Jody Ansell were two of the Manitoba women that survived being shot by the lone gunman that targeted the outdoor concert outside the Mandalay Bay Hotel on October 1.
READ MORE: ‘It replays in my mind’: Manitoba woman shot in Las Vegas arrives back home
58 people were killed and hundreds injured, but both Lambourne, from Teulon, and Ansell from Stonewall, survived their gunshot wounds.
READ MORE: Las Vegas shooting: Manitoba woman shot in attack, was ‘bleeding everywhere’
To help with the expenses going forward involved in recovery, Manitobans gathered at the Chicken Chef Restaurant on Portage Avenue Saturday.
The Owner, Lori Lucas, said while she had never met the women, she felt an urge to show them the kindness she felt they so badly deserved.
“Maybe when they’re having a bad day, having a flashback, they’re able to go back in their memory saying they had all those people supporting them,” Lucas said.
Lucas, along with her staff and volunteers, served up pancakes, sold 50/50 tickets, and raffled dozens of prizes with proceeds going to Jan and Jody.
Jody Ansell was able to attend first thing in the morning and was very thankful to all of the supporters that came out.
Her aunt, Margaret Dignard said when she heard her niece had been shot she thought it was a bad joke and she couldn’t wrap her head around the thought.
“We’re just so happy that Jody’s going to be good,” Dignard said.
Lucas said she’s been blessed with a gift and all she wanted to do was share it by paying it forward and helping the two women out in any way possible.
Comments