A prayer vigil was held and a GoFundMe fundraiser launched in honour of the four-year-old girl who died after being struck by a car earlier this week.
The girl, Galila, and her family were recent arrivals to Winnipeg from Eritrea, living in the city for just two months before the tragic incident.
Galila’s mother, Genet, remains in hospital in stable but serious condition. Family friends say she is “unlikely” to ever walk again.
“Very comforting”
A large crowd was on hand at the vigil, including the father of the girl, who was overcome with emotion after arriving.
Friends were overwhelmed by the support.
“People from all walks of life are here, it’s very comforting,” family friend
Aaron Mehzenta said.
“It tells you how much grief there is out there in society at large, not just in our small community.”
Fundraiser
The “Galila Fund” online fundraiser, launched Friday, aims to reach $30,000 to help the family cope with the loss of the little girl, who was a nursery school student at Dufferin School.
“Her father is traumatized by this tragedy and cannot cope the pain of losing his only daughter. He now carries the burden of having to raise their son while caring for his wife,” said the GoFundMe page, which had already brought in more than $4,000 in donations as of Friday night.
“The reality is that the mother will not be able to work for a long time, if ever. Not only does she have to cope with her injuries but also the death of her daughter.
“The father is grief-stricken and may not be able to provide for his family to the best of his abilities, which is mainly why they need help.”
Friends and family at the vigil also called on the city to make changes to the crosswalk.
WATCH: Family grieving daughter’s death, mother still in hospital
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