HAMILTON – Dozens of mourners drove muscle cars and motorcycles to the funeral of a 14-year-old stabbing victim in honour of the boy’s love of classic automobiles.
Many wore pink to tribute Devan Bracci-Selvey, who was killed outside of his high school — and in front of his mother — on Monday, after what his family described as weeks of bullying.
A pink ribbon was also tied to the back of a hearse parked in front of the Hamilton church where the funeral took place.
An obituary for the boy described him as a loyal friend who loved old cars, video games and animals. A visitation was held on Friday.
Bob Douglas, a resident who lost his daughter when she was 25 due to an illness, said that while he doesn’t know the family he still wanted to show support and brought a classic car.
“People seem to think you’re going to get over it but you never will,” he said. “They’ll never get over this, a lot of lives have been ruined.”
Mikey Mcentee, Selvey’s best friend, said he’d been feeling heartbroken since the incident and haven’t been able to sleep, but wants to thank everyone who’s come out to support his friend.
“He would tear up (from seeing) every car,” Mcentee said about the bikers and cars gathered to send off Selvey. “He would want me and Brody to take a picture of him in every car.”
Two teens — a 14-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man — have been charged with first-degree murder in Devan’s death.
Neither can be named due to a publication ban shielding the man’s identity and provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act that protect the boy’s identity.
Hamilton police have been relatively quiet on the circumstances surrounding Devan’s death, but Det.-Sgt. Steve Bereziuk has said investigators believe the 14-year-old accused was the one wielding the knife.
He has also alleged there was “some element of pre-planning and premeditation.”
–With files from Global’s Morganne Campbell