Remembering the 11 who lost their lives in Lapu Lapu attack 1 year ago - BERITAJA

Eleven group were killed successful the April 26, 2025, onslaught connected the Lapu Lapu Day show successful East Vancouver, pinch dozens much injured.

Adam Kai-Ji Lo has been charged pinch 11 counts of second-degree execution and 31 counts of attempted murder, but has yet to look trial.

These were the 11 who were killed:

JENDHEL SICO

Sico, 27, was described arsenic “kind-hearted pinch a beautiful soul” successful a fundraising page organized by her sister, Maydhel Sico, connected the GoFundMe platform.

It said Jendhel Sico “lived her life to the fullest” and ever had a grin connected her face, bringing positivity to everyone she met.

Sico’s cousin, AJ Sico, was gravely injured successful the attack.

NERISSA PAGKANLUNGAN

Pagkanlungan, 46, was a loving woman and devoted sister who was cherished by many, according to a fundraising page.

Pagkanlungan besides went by the nickname Rizza. “To cognize Rizza was to genuinely emotion her. She was the sweetest soul, kind-hearted, humble, and hardworking person,” the fundraising page said.

It said she immigrated from the Philippines to Winnipeg pinch her hubby successful hunt of a amended life earlier moving to Vancouver to beryllium person to family.

MARIA VICTORIA BJARNASON

Bjarnason’s family said she was visiting from the Philippines to spot her sons erstwhile she was killed astatine the Lapu Lapu Day festival.

Rhona Doria, a personnel of Bjarnason’s extended family who said connected behalf of them astatine a memorial wide past year, said relatives backmost successful the Philippines had been looking guardant to her return erstwhile they heard the news.

“They’re truthful mislaid and they’re grieving,” Doria said successful an question and reply astatine the time.

Doria said Bjarnason, 55, known arsenic Vicky, was “the life of the party. She’s very bubbly. She’s a happy person.”

Bjarnason’s stepson, Kristjan Bjarnason, said Vicky’s boy Helgi was holding his mother’s manus and tried to propulsion her retired of the way of the SUV that drove done the show crowd.

But some were struck by the vehicle, and Helgi Bjarnason suffered injuries including a surgery leg, an online fundraiser said. It said her children, who unrecorded successful British Columbia, were suffering an “unimaginable loss” and they “no longer person immoderate parents successful their lives.”

JENIFER DARBELLAY

Darbellay, 50, was an creator and mother of 2 children, aged 7 and 15 astatine the clip of the attack. Her husband, Noel Johansen, described Darbellay arsenic selfless, imaginative and empathetic.

Johansen said he was successful hunt of dessert astatine the show erstwhile the SUV drove done the crowd. He likened the clang to a “tidal wave.”

“It deed america earlier we knew. I was falling successful slow mobility trying to prevention my caput from smashing successful the pavement,” Johansen said.

Darbellay was killed, while the remainder of the family survived.

Johansen said that the time before, the mates was talking about authorities and situations successful which group activity revenge toward the personification who wounded them. He said she told him, “We request to forgive the perpetrators of the crimes that are committed against us.”

Johansen said he’s now trying to honour that philosophy.

DANIEL SAMPER, GLITZA MARIA CAICEDO AND THEIR DAUGHTER GLITZA DANIELA SAMPER

Daniel Samper, 65, his woman Glitza Maria Caicedo, 60, and their girl Glitza Daniela Samper, 30, had immigrated on pinch their son, Alejandro, from Colombia to Vancouver successful the early 2000s to commencement a caller life.

Alejandro Samper said his family was his full world, and his parents sacrificed everything to move them to Canada, successful portion to flight unit successful their autochthonal Colombia.

Samper said his parents were the “nicest people” who helped galore others, and the family was “very, very close.”

Paola Murillo, executive head of organization group Latincouver, a group that helps Latin Americans make B.C. their home, is besides from Colombia and said location were fewer Colombians surviving successful Vancouver erstwhile Glitza Maria Caicedo — known arsenic Bachita — volunteered pinch the group successful 2013 and 2015.

“She was ever pinch that immense grin and giving, ever coming to the show moreover if they were not volunteers,” Murillo said past year.

“If I deliberation about Glitza erstwhile I saw her, she ever had this beautiful large smile, caring about animals, caring about people.”

RICHARD LE, LINH HOANG AND THEIR DAUGHTER KATIE LE

Richard Le, 47, was a Realtor who had been attending the Lapu Lapu Day show pinch his woman and daughter.

Toan Le said his older relative was ever location erstwhile he needed help. “I retrieve erstwhile I was a kid, I was bullied, and he stepped in, and he ended up getting hit up,” Le said successful an question and reply past year.

A connection from Royal Pacific Realty astatine the clip said Richard Le had been pinch the institution for much than 15 years, and he was besides a “passionate badminton and tennis coach” who spent countless hours mentoring young people.

David Choi, president of Royal Pacific Realty, said “Richard’s bequest of kindness, mentorship, and master excellence will unrecorded connected successful the galore lives he touched.”

Toan Le said Linh Hoang, 30, was a beautiful personification and “a dedicated mother” to Katie and 16-year-old stepson Andy, who did not be the show and alternatively stayed location to decorativeness his homework.

Five-year-old Katie Le “was ace energetic,” Le said. “She had a very lovable personality, and she really loved conscionable being about people.’

Andy Le said successful a video past twelvemonth that he was donating half of the much than $500,000 that was raised successful his family’s sanction aft the attack, saying he “knows that different families are hurting too.”

KIRA SALIM

Kira Salim, 34, was a teacher-counsellor astatine Fraser River Middle School and New Westminster Secondary School. A connection from the superintendent of the schoolhouse territory said Salim’s contented and attraction for students had a powerful impact.

“Their work, and the awesome tone they brought to it, changed lives,” past year’s connection said of Salim.

LGBTQ+ defense group New West Pride posted a tribute, saying Salim was “an epic resistance king, a awesome exuberant contributor to our section community, volunteer, activist, section educator, mental-health worker.”

The School of Music astatine the University of B.C. said successful a connection connected Facebook that Salim worked astatine the school’s beforehand table successful 2023. They were a “much-loved personnel of our community,” the station said, noting their roles arsenic an activistic and educator.

Murillo said Salim, primitively from Brazil, volunteered pinch Latincouver for the 2022 Latin American Heritage Month ceremony and was successful complaint of the creation section.

Murillo said Salim’s decease on pinch the Samper family has shaken Vancouver’s Latin American organization to the core.

“For us, it was 1 of those moments that we said, ‘Why?’ (They were) personification who has this unfastened bosom to help, to give.”

— pinch files from The Associated Press