The family of a young lacrosse player killed in a crash earlier this month has been overwhelmed by the support they have received from the community.
More than 2,000 people attended a memorial for Olivia Malcom and more than $100,000 has been raised towards a bursary created in her memory.
The memorial service was held at New Westminster’s Queen’s Park Arena on Sunday, which would have been Malcom’s 20th birthday.
“When I woke up in the morning, it was Olivia’s day,” mother Bridget Malcom said. “That was my whole hope. That it was her day to be honoured and to feel the love of all the lives that she impacted.”
WATCH: Olivia Malcom’s funeral held in New Westminster
Bridget said she felt a sense of calm while standing on the stage during her daughter’s memorial.
“I could feel Olivia’s hand on my back supporting me and that’s where I got the strength from,” she said. “I could feel her hand on my back saying, ‘You’ve got this, mom.'”
Malcom died after her boyfriend pulled over on Highway 17A near Ladner Trunk Road on June 2 so she and her friend could grab something from the trunk. They were on their way home when they were struck by a Jeep.
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She was killed instantly.
Deas Island RCMP are now looking at recommending charges of impaired driving causing death.
Police say the driver has had his licence suspended for three years.
The family set up a GoFundMe page that will go towards a bursary that will help fund post-secondary education for deserving candidates. They had raised more than $100,000 as of Sunday, far surpassing their initial goal of $1,000.
Several lacrosse players held moments of silence to pay their respects to Malcom.
The family has been deeply moved by the outpouring of love and support, but is still struggling to come to terms with her death.
“I think we still keep waiting for Olivia to walk through our front door,” Bridget said.
“I think we still think that maybe there’s just that glimpse of hope that this is a horrible nightmare…and that we’re going to wake up and our beautiful daughter is going to walk through that door.”
— With files from Rumina Daya