Skip to content

OUR VIEW: After Surrey tragedies, helpers rush in

Strangers helping strangers reminds us none of us are really alone
21936037_web1_200625-SUL-EditorialHelping-help_1
A Go Fund Me campaign has been launched to help a family of seven who lost their home to this fire in Whalley on Tuesday, June 23, which Surrey firefighters tackled at 103rd Avenue and 143rd Street. (Contributed photo: Rick Chapman)

It is comforting to know that, in cases of personal tragedy and extreme adversity, not only family and friends but also complete strangers are more than willing to help you.

Three recent local tragedies come to mind.

On June 1, Jasvinder Singh Riar, age 31, died at work, at the Canadian National Railway’s Thornton Yard in North Surrey, leaving behind his wife, his nine-month-old son, and his mother, paternal grandmother and sister. That was one mighty responsibility he shouldered, being the sole provider for his family.

But at this time of writing, 866 donors have contributed $96,959 through a GoFundMe campaign online, toward helping his family.

READ ALSO: Go Fund Me campaign for family of CN rail worker who died at Thornton Yard in Surrey

This past Sunday, which happened to be Father’s Day, tragedy struck another local family when Surrey realtor Kashif Sheikh, 46, drowned while trying to save his daughter who had slipped into a creek near a waterfall in the Okanagan.

Sheikh leaves behind a wife and four children.

By Wednesday morning, 939 donors to a GoFundMe campaign had raised $95,230 to help Sheikh’s family.

READ ALSO: Surrey realtor drowns in Okanagan trying to save daughter

READ ALSO: Family launches fundraiser for Delta father who died rescuing daughter in Kelowna

Of course, no amount of money will ever replace these two men. But the money being raised in their memory will surely help take some of the burden off their survivors, who are undoubtedly suffering from the shock, confusion and grief that is particular to sudden and unexpected deaths.

Now, a third local fundraising initiative has been launched to help a Surrey family of seven whose home was destroyed in a fire on Tuesday in Whalley.

READ ALSO: ‘They lost everything’: Fundraiser for Surrey family of seven after fire destroys house

The fact that strangers, some of whom can ill afford it, will help others in times of need serves to remind us that ultimately none of us are really alone.

And we can all take some comfort in that.

Now-Leader



edit@surreynowleader.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter