FAMILY URGES FORGIVENESS
‘I pray for him,’ sister of van rampage victim tells funeral
Family and friends of the first victim publicly identified in the Yonge St. rampage gathered at her funeral Wednesday, to commemorate a woman described as kind, selfless and funny.
“She lived her life to the fullest for 30 years,” said Anne Marie D’Amico’s brother Nick, who gave the eulogy. “She sat nestled in the hearts of hundreds of people she touched.”
He shared stories that revealed her sense of humour, her dedication to her family and her various talents.
“She was always able to pull off something amazing, and she always did it with such class and humility,” he said.
D’Amico, 30, was among the10 people killed on April 23 after a van mounted the sidewalk on Yonge St., near Finch Ave., and drove toward Sheppard Ave., hitting pedestrians along the way.
Father Vito Marziliano, who spoke at the funeral mass, told those gathered that D’Amico’s family felt no anger, “not even towards the man who caused so much pain.”
He said D’Amico’s sister, Frances, said “‘I pray for him.’ ”
The church was at its 750person capacity, with people also crowding into the basement.
D’Amico worked at the investment firm Invesco, and volunteered with Tennis Canada at the Rogers Cup. She graduated from Ryerson University in 2010 with a degree in business management. She practised martial arts with the Young Choung Taekwondo Academy, and friends have said she could break a board in two with a punch, kick or head-butt.
She was also known as a generous woman who used her vacation to volunteer overseas.
“Anne Marie left an undeniable mark on this world,” classmate Sarah Liberatore told the Star last week. “She genuinely cared for the well-being of all those around her and she dedicated her time and energy to help those who needed it most.”
Some people at the service wore blue ribbons that read “#TorontoStrong” and others wore white ribbons that advocated ending violence against women.
“Like springtime, Anne Marie had a lightness about her, a warmth and way of being that we miss beyond words,” John Simonetti, a family friend who has known the D’Amico family for 20 years, told the media ahead of the funeral.
“We ask that you continue to feel the sun, the lightness and the warmth of being that Anne Marie and others must have felt walking outside that balmy, spring afternoon,” he said.
The statement also acknowledged Rob Greco, a bystander who was with D’Amico in her final moments.
“We had the honour to meet Rob and he will forever be entrenched in our family,” Simonetti said. “He was another shining example of all the kindness that Anne Marie and this city have to offer.”
The public was asked to pray for the family of Alek Minassian, the alleged driver of the van.
“We cannot bring back Anne Marie or the others that have passed, but what we can do, however, is hold onto the kindness, acceptance and the unwavering collective good of our city,” Simonetti said.