A birthday full of heartbreak
Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...458&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154
NICHOLAS KEUNG
STAFF REPORTER
Sherry Xu and Raymond Zhang spent days preparing for their daughter Cecilia's 10th birthday.
They sent out invitations to friends and supporters. They rearranged the furniture in their North York home for a party, putting chairs along the walls and setting out aluminum containers of finger foods ― Danishes and chips ― on tables with paper plates and cups. There was a birthday cake decorated with their little girl's favourite Hamtaro cartoon character.
"We hope to hear from Cecilia before her birthday," Raymond Zhang had told the Star in an interview last month.
But two days before that birthday Zhang learned from Toronto police that the girl's remains had been discovered in a Mississauga park. A combined task force of Peel Region and Toronto investigators is now probing the killing.
Yesterday, despite their sorrow, Xu and Zhang went ahead with the birthday party.
They opened their home to the media shortly before hosting a private gathering.
A weeping Zhang faced the media early in the afternoon, standing in the rain on the steps in front of the home where Cecilia was snatched from her second-floor bedroom on Oct. 19.
He shared a wish list the girl composed last year for a class assignment. In "My Wish with Genie," Cecilia wrote neatly:
"My first wish is to make my ideal classroom appear in my room. I also wish that I have all the animals in the world to be my friends and all of my friends could visit them.
"My other wish is that meat can be produced without the killing of animals, but the world won't be overfilling with animals. I also wish for all my dreamlands to come true.
"My other wish is that there are no more wars in the world and that equality is everywhere.
"Well, those were some of my wishes. Hope you enjoyed it. Bye."
"She is such an angelic girl, and this is why we love her so much," Zhang said before he was ushered back into the house.
To share the family's memories of Cecilia, there was an open house for 50-plus journalists, photographers and cameramen. They were escorted in groups of 10 through the house before dozens of guests, including police Chief Julian Fantino and senior Toronto police officers assigned to the case, arrived for a private gathering after 4 p.m.
On the light yellow walls of their Whitehorn Cres. home, Zhang and Xu had put up cards and letters from well-wishers. On the red carpet along one wall was a pile of Cecilia's favourite stuffed animals ― bunnies, bears, beanie babies, a koala. There were dozens of candles and a wall full of photos.
"I thought I knew Cecilia. Now I feel I know her even more, closer," said Jack Jia, a neighbour and family friend.
"It is a sad story, but we believe that her life is a great life. We want, through the media, to let the public know who Cecilia is," Jia said. "We want everyone to pay attention to this story, why this happened and how to prevent this from happening again. We believe that this is what Cecilia would have liked us to do."
Guests began arriving by 3:30 p.m., starting with Cecilia's classmates from Seneca Hill Public School, followed by their teachers and Fantino.
A guest at the gathering said later: "We all shared our grief together. There was a lot of crying, a lot of tears, a lot of emotions. Sherry and Raymond greeted everyone and we shared our memories of Cecilia together."
In a short poem, "Dearest Cecilia Birthday Wishes," hanging in the family's dining room, Sherry Xu wrote: "Dearest baby, birthday candles shining bright. Wish you might at this very moment blow the candle light.
"Console daddy's and mommy's bleeding hearts. Baby, oh, dearest baby, your laughter, singing in our ears, your darling kisses imprinting on mommy's face," it read. "Where are you? How's Ceci?
"Baby, oh, dearest baby, 162 days. These 162 days and nights, our hearts and love are with you never apart. Baby, oh, dearest baby, I'll love you ... as long as there's life. Our dearest Cecilia, we pray to God soon you'll be home. We will all be together praising God. Holy name. Ever after."
A purple handmade card from one of Cecilia's friends said: "I found very sorry, sorry for you that Cecilia is now dead. Losing a good friend like Cecilia isn't easy. I never knew that dieing would take my good friend Cecilia. I would surely miss her. Take care."
Earlier yesterday, a candle burned brightly in the rain on the lawn outside as well-wishers quietly paid respects, laying flowers, teddy bears, balloons and even a package of coloured markers next to a tree. The makeshift memorial grew hourly as scores of friends, neighbours and strangers prayed and said tearful goodbyes.
"There's a hole in the world tonight," said a note signed Wesley, Christine, Peter, Karen and Nigel, who identified themselves as "another Seneca Hill Public School family."
Another, bearing the little girl's picture, had been left by the Faria family of Brampton: "You are safe now and you can rest in peace sweet angel. We all love you and will never forget you. Our thoughts are with the Zhang family."
Three teddy bears and a pink bunny had been placed on a tree in front of the school yesterday, with flowers and cards. Grief counsellors were helping students at the North York school, where Cecilia was in the gifted program in Grade 4, cope with the loss of their schoolmate.
Flags at all city public schools are at half-mast. A memorial service is planned at Seneca, but no date has been set. Parents may visit http://www.tdsb.on.ca and click on "Late breaking news" for information on helping children cope with the tragedy.
With files from Leslie Ferenc
Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...458&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154
NICHOLAS KEUNG
STAFF REPORTER
Sherry Xu and Raymond Zhang spent days preparing for their daughter Cecilia's 10th birthday.
They sent out invitations to friends and supporters. They rearranged the furniture in their North York home for a party, putting chairs along the walls and setting out aluminum containers of finger foods ― Danishes and chips ― on tables with paper plates and cups. There was a birthday cake decorated with their little girl's favourite Hamtaro cartoon character.
"We hope to hear from Cecilia before her birthday," Raymond Zhang had told the Star in an interview last month.
But two days before that birthday Zhang learned from Toronto police that the girl's remains had been discovered in a Mississauga park. A combined task force of Peel Region and Toronto investigators is now probing the killing.
Yesterday, despite their sorrow, Xu and Zhang went ahead with the birthday party.
They opened their home to the media shortly before hosting a private gathering.
A weeping Zhang faced the media early in the afternoon, standing in the rain on the steps in front of the home where Cecilia was snatched from her second-floor bedroom on Oct. 19.
He shared a wish list the girl composed last year for a class assignment. In "My Wish with Genie," Cecilia wrote neatly:
"My first wish is to make my ideal classroom appear in my room. I also wish that I have all the animals in the world to be my friends and all of my friends could visit them.
"My other wish is that meat can be produced without the killing of animals, but the world won't be overfilling with animals. I also wish for all my dreamlands to come true.
"My other wish is that there are no more wars in the world and that equality is everywhere.
"Well, those were some of my wishes. Hope you enjoyed it. Bye."
"She is such an angelic girl, and this is why we love her so much," Zhang said before he was ushered back into the house.
To share the family's memories of Cecilia, there was an open house for 50-plus journalists, photographers and cameramen. They were escorted in groups of 10 through the house before dozens of guests, including police Chief Julian Fantino and senior Toronto police officers assigned to the case, arrived for a private gathering after 4 p.m.
On the light yellow walls of their Whitehorn Cres. home, Zhang and Xu had put up cards and letters from well-wishers. On the red carpet along one wall was a pile of Cecilia's favourite stuffed animals ― bunnies, bears, beanie babies, a koala. There were dozens of candles and a wall full of photos.
"I thought I knew Cecilia. Now I feel I know her even more, closer," said Jack Jia, a neighbour and family friend.
"It is a sad story, but we believe that her life is a great life. We want, through the media, to let the public know who Cecilia is," Jia said. "We want everyone to pay attention to this story, why this happened and how to prevent this from happening again. We believe that this is what Cecilia would have liked us to do."
Guests began arriving by 3:30 p.m., starting with Cecilia's classmates from Seneca Hill Public School, followed by their teachers and Fantino.
A guest at the gathering said later: "We all shared our grief together. There was a lot of crying, a lot of tears, a lot of emotions. Sherry and Raymond greeted everyone and we shared our memories of Cecilia together."
In a short poem, "Dearest Cecilia Birthday Wishes," hanging in the family's dining room, Sherry Xu wrote: "Dearest baby, birthday candles shining bright. Wish you might at this very moment blow the candle light.
"Console daddy's and mommy's bleeding hearts. Baby, oh, dearest baby, your laughter, singing in our ears, your darling kisses imprinting on mommy's face," it read. "Where are you? How's Ceci?
"Baby, oh, dearest baby, 162 days. These 162 days and nights, our hearts and love are with you never apart. Baby, oh, dearest baby, I'll love you ... as long as there's life. Our dearest Cecilia, we pray to God soon you'll be home. We will all be together praising God. Holy name. Ever after."
A purple handmade card from one of Cecilia's friends said: "I found very sorry, sorry for you that Cecilia is now dead. Losing a good friend like Cecilia isn't easy. I never knew that dieing would take my good friend Cecilia. I would surely miss her. Take care."
Earlier yesterday, a candle burned brightly in the rain on the lawn outside as well-wishers quietly paid respects, laying flowers, teddy bears, balloons and even a package of coloured markers next to a tree. The makeshift memorial grew hourly as scores of friends, neighbours and strangers prayed and said tearful goodbyes.
"There's a hole in the world tonight," said a note signed Wesley, Christine, Peter, Karen and Nigel, who identified themselves as "another Seneca Hill Public School family."
Another, bearing the little girl's picture, had been left by the Faria family of Brampton: "You are safe now and you can rest in peace sweet angel. We all love you and will never forget you. Our thoughts are with the Zhang family."
Three teddy bears and a pink bunny had been placed on a tree in front of the school yesterday, with flowers and cards. Grief counsellors were helping students at the North York school, where Cecilia was in the gifted program in Grade 4, cope with the loss of their schoolmate.
Flags at all city public schools are at half-mast. A memorial service is planned at Seneca, but no date has been set. Parents may visit http://www.tdsb.on.ca and click on "Late breaking news" for information on helping children cope with the tragedy.
With files from Leslie Ferenc
