Sitting in their Ingleside, Ont., living room, Greg and Ashley Light hold a photo of their daughter Charlotte as they reflect on her short but joyful life.
“She was loved by everybody,” her mother said.
The 14-year-old girl, the eldest of six children, died Friday when she was struck by a car while riding her bike just outside Cornwall.
Her parents told CBC she was on her way to Long Sault, about 10 kilometres away from her house, to visit with friends before heading to a cottage for the long weekend.
Charlotte was riding east along the shoulder of County Road 2 when the crash happened. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Now her parents — along with other loved ones and community members — are mourning her loss and remembering her for her exquisite talents, and tremendous heart.
“She was just an incredibly well-rounded kid,” said Greg.
“She was always willing to help other people — not even a hesitation,” added Ashley.
Charlotte was excitedly preparing for her first year of high school at St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School in Cornwall. She’d already gone to orientation and had picked out her locker, which was beside her best friend.
“She was so excited and like, ‘Oh my gosh, we have lockers beside each other!'” Greg said. “And they were so pumped about that,” her father added.
Theatre, reading, dancing, soccer, art — Charlotte did it all, her parents said, making the most of every day while also finding time for her many friends.
This summer, she was a goalie for the Blazers, a team with the Seaway Valley Soccer Club.
“The day before the accident, she had a shutout. The whole team mobbed her, it was wonderful to see. It was a very proud moment to see that,” her father said.
Feel ‘horribly’ for driver
Over the weekend, a crowdfunding page launched in effort to support the family which has now surpassed $75,000.
“We have so much support. It has been overwhelmingly beautiful,” Ashley said.
Charlotte’s parents said they’re still unsure of how the collision happened. They don’t know why their daughter was travelling on the busy highway, but figured she was trying to save time.
Ontario Provincial Police told CBC the driver was uninjured, remained on scene and was co-operative.
The Light family said they hold “no ill will” toward the driver, calling the crash an accident.
“I feel horribly for her because I can’t imagine what she must feel like, you know, having struck a 14-year-old child. So my heart goes out to her as well,” her father said.
Treacherous weekend on the roads
Friday’s crash was the first of two involving children in eastern Ontario on the Labour Day long weekend.
On Sunday afternoon, a six-year-old girl was killed in Tweed, Ont. after being hit by a pickup truck, according to OPP.
Emergency crews responded to Jamieson Street West, 190 kilometres southwest of Ottawa, shortly after 1:30 p.m. The young girl was rushed to hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Given the devastating weekend on the roads and the fact school is about to start, drivers need to make sure to be safe and responsible, said Jamie Kwong, executive director of Ottawa Safety Council.
“It’s an extra reminder right now that people’s actions right now could determine whether or not they impact someone else’s life severely,” Kwong said.
Rural areas need to invest in better intersections, street lights and signage in order to prevent tragedies, Kwong said. Residents also need to report when they see dangerous spots in their neighbourhoods, she added.
“What has happened in the news with these two kids, that’s what kind of brings in an investigation,” Kwong said. “But we can do this before it gets to this serious type of situation,” Kwong said.