The public is invited to a vigil on Friday, April 6 at Victoria Quay to honour the life of Dontay-Patrick Lucas, a six-year-old Nuu-chah-nulth boy who died at home on March 13 in Port Alberni.
Kortney Brookes has organized the vigil as a way for the public to come together and remember the boy, whose death Port Alberni RCMP have now labeled as suspicious.
Brookes, who reached out to Lucas’ family members and received approval to hold the vigil, said she didn’t know the boy personally. “I saw him and his sister play all the time,” she said, because she worked close to the children’s home.
“I think this is something that has affected the entire town,” she added. “Anyone who came in contact with that child has been affected, not just his family. It would be sad for his voice not to be heard.”
She said she organized the vigil as “a way for the community to come together for closure, for mourning. Parent to parent, I can’t imagine anything happening like that to my kids or my friends’ children. It’s so heartbreaking.”
The vigil starts at 7:30 p.m. at Victoria Quay. Brookes is asking people who want to attend to bring candles, glow sticks for children or consider adding flowers to a memorial that she will be setting up. “We will also be releasing lanterns at 8 p.m.,” she said. “It’s going to be peaceful.”
She is hoping to have a microphone available for anyone who wishes to speak, and said people will be able to make donations to the Kuu-us Crisis Line Society.
“Dontay will not be forgotten.”
