When Peter Ramirez held the memorial he assembled to honour the victims of the Humboldt tragedy, he had to keep himself from crying.
Ramirez fastened the memorial 鈥撯�� which includes two hockey sticks crossed together, a Canadian flag, and green and yellow banner 鈥撯�� on the fence of his Walnut Grove home earlier this week .
An April 6 crash in rural Saskatchewan involving a semi trailer and a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior A hockey team claimed 16 lives and injured 13 others.
On a gusty day, motorists travelling along the 9400 block of 208 Street can see the flag and banner flapping in the wind.
鈥淚 came to this country鈥� 50 years ago,鈥� Ramirez said.
鈥淎nd I learned to appreciate this country, to love this country, and when I learned of tragedies like (the one) that happened in Saskatchewan, it touched my heart, because I love Canada, I love the people.
And to see (victims) so young, those kids, they give their lives and died for hockey. Canada is a hockey nation and I like hockey, and I feel like they鈥檙e part of my family.鈥�
The tragedy impacted Ramirez, all of Canada, and beyond.
A created for the players and families affected raised $15,185,400 of its $4 million goal and is no longer accepting donations.
The outpouring of generosity makes it the fifth most successful GoFundMe campaign in the online platform鈥檚 history.
鈥淭he funds donated through the GoFundMe campaign will be transferred to a newly created non-profit corporation known as 鈥楬umboldt Broncos Memorial Fund Inc.鈥� to be allocated for their intended purpose,鈥� it鈥檚 noted on the.
Ramirez wanted to do his part by creating the memorial.
The Canadian flag is erected on Ramirez鈥檚 fence year round.
The addition includes the colours of both Saskatchewan and the Broncos.
鈥淢y dad displayed the green and yellow, the colours of the Saskatchewan flag, because we didn鈥檛 have an actual provincial flag available,鈥� Peter鈥檚 daughter Cheryl explained.
