In the wake of the tragedy at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»last weekend, a Memorial Mass is being held in Squamish to honour the families and victims.
Everyone is invited to the 7 p.m. mass on Tuesday, May 6, at in the Garibaldi Highlands.
"All Christian denominations, non-Catholics, and even nonbelievers are warmly invited and encouraged to attend. Let us come together in prayer and solidarity," reads a social media post by Filipino local Myke Alejandro.
Eleven people, including a child, were killed and many others injured after a man drove an SUV through a crowd of people at the Lapu Lapu festival on April 26, just after 8 p.m.
Several of the survivors remain in the hospital.
Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, of Vancouver, has been arrested and charged with eight counts of second-degree murder.
"We were all in shock when we heard the news about the incident. I received multiple messages from family and friends in different countries, asking how I was and if I had been at the event," Alejandro told The Squamish Chief. "We never imagined that something like this could happen.
Alejandro, who moved to Squamish in December 2019, added that Filipino people are known for their resilience.
"We have this strong sense of community and unwavering faith. We remain hopeful and optimistic. We have this community spirit we call 'Bayanihan,’ derived from the word 'Bayan,' which means nation. It's a sense of unity where we come together to assist each other, especially in times of need," he said.
The community is coping with memorial services at various locations and with different fundraising efforts to help the victims and their families.
"We are thankful to the people in Squamish for sending us their heartfelt condolences," he said, adding he works at Tim Hortons on Progress Way, and many people in the drive-thru have expressed their sympathy.
"It means so much to us, especially since we are foreigners in this country. We are also thankful that the Province of British Columbia declared May 2 as an official day of remembrance and mourning for the victims."
has launched a campaign to support those impacted by the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Filipino Lapu Lapu festival tragedy, with funds raised to go to individuals and families directly impacted and to help with the recovery and resiliency of the communities involved.
