Dozens attend vigil in Ladner, B.C., for Humboldt hockey players

Dozens of people from across the Lower Mainland attended a vigil at Lighthouse Church in Ladner, B.C. to remember and honour the victims of a tragic bus crash in Saskatchewan that killed 15 people and injured 14.

The B.C. vigil coincided with the one held in Humboldt.

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Most of the people on the bus were players and staff of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team.

The bus collided with a transport truck near Tisdale, Sask. on Friday.

Come together and grieve

The Lighthouse Church's pastor and Vancouver Giants' chaplin Danny Stebeck organized the B.C. event so people would have a place to come together to grieve.

"In our culture too often we bottle it up, we hold it in, boys don't cry kind-of-thing," he said. "I think it's time for us to just acknowledge that at a moment like this, it's OK to feel and hurt and grieve."

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People came from across the Lower Mainland, including Vancouver Giants bus driver Derek Holloway.

"It's a terrible, terrible tragedy and it hit hard," he said, "I think of all the kids on my bus and how quickly it can happen, they're having fun doing stuff and then all of a sudden its over, it's just terrible."

Players of local hockey teams attended along withbillet families and parents who could identify with the tragedy.

"Ithink of it as if my children were going to their favourite sport or competition and they passed away, it's just something that Idon't think would cross any parents' mind, so Iwanted to be here and support.," said Stephanie Thomas, a mother of three.

Inside the church, the names, ages and hometowns of all the victims were displayed along a wall. There was alsoa board for people to leave messages of support and love.