‘We will not abandon you’
Thousands gather in Halifax for funeral of seven children killed in fire
The seven Barho children killed in a Halifax house fire were mourned by thousands at a public funeral Saturday, with friends, family and strangers expressing their grief over the immense tragedy.
“Today is a difficult day for Nova Scotians because today’s funeral is not a normal one,” said Ummah mosque board chair Ahmad Hussein, opening the ceremony. “It’s a children’s funeral.” An honour guard brought in seven small, white caskets from seven separate hearses. The children’s mother, Kawthar, sobbed as 2,000 people sat and stood quietly behind her.
Hussein said the outpouring of support in the five days since the fire made it clear that a public service was necessary.
“It wasn’t just the Muslim community that was suffering; it was all Haligonians. Everyone in Nova Scotia was suffering and everyone in Canada was also suffering.”
The Barhos have no relatives in Halifax but have made meaningful connections in the communities where they’ve lived since arriving in the fall of 2017 as Syrian refugees.
Natalie Horne, vice-president of the community group that sponsored the Barhos’ refugee claim, said they were grateful to have had a chance to get to know the children.
“Our lives were enriched as a result of our relationship with you and your children,” Horne told Barho and the crowd of mourners, through tears. “We love them and we love you.”
Other speakers at the funeral included Nova Scotia’s lieutenant-governor and deputy premier, and the deputy mayor of Halifax. A translator repeated the words of every English speaker in Arabic.
“We are here to support you as you move along a path that very few have known,” Deputy Premier Karen Casey told Barho. “Remember, we will not abandon you, we will not leave you alone. Please accept our love. Please accept our warm embrace.”
Halifax MP Andy Fillmore also told Barho the community would be there for her in the hard times to come. But he acknowledged that it’s family that brings the greatest comfort, and said the federal government is trying to bring her overseas relatives to Canada quickly We are working as hard as we can to get your family here as quickly as possible so they can be by your side,” Fillmore said.
Halifax Deputy Mayor Tony Mancini said he encouraged the community to use their sadness “to fuel acts of love and kindness.”
“In this time of tragedy, I’ve been so inspired by the way out neighbours have come together — united in our sorrow,” he said.
After the service, friends shielded the vehicle that would take Barho from the funeral to the burial — seven hearses led the procession on its way to a cemetery in Hammonds Plains.
Many of the mourners at Saturday’s funeral were strangers who said they were there to show support and sympathy for Barho.
“She doesn’t know me, I don’t know her, but I know I’m here. And she’s our family — their whole family is our family. I want to be here for all of them,” Cindy Samson told The Cana
.“dian Press.
Adnan Aboushahla said the fire was a “shock for anyone — not only for Muslim people but for Christians and other religions,” to witness such a tragedy.
“We want to do whatever we can — either give support, money, feelings, this grief,” said Aboushahla.
The children’s father — Ebraheim Barho — remained in hospital Friday recovering from extensive burns. He was in critical but stable condition.
Early Tuesday, the Quartz Drive house fire killed all of the Barho children: Ahmad, 14; Rola, 12; Mohamad, 9; Ola, 8; Hala, 3; Rana, 2; and Abdullah, who was born in Canada on Nov. 9.
The cause of the fire remains unclear. Mourner Tareq Hadhad, a Syrian refugee who founded Peace by Chocolate in Nova Scotia, said it is hard for the parents to handle all the pain by themselves.
“I would say it’s the most devastating period that I have ever lived, even though we lost family members back home in Syria. The loss of seven kids at once really has had a very devastating impact on the entire community here — not only the Syrian community, not only the Nova Scotia community but all across the country and the world,” he said. Mourner Mouna Manna praised the outpouring of support and said the mother’s burden is unimaginable.
“I don’t even know where to begin to imagine how this would be, to lose not one or two but seven of them all at once. It’s a strike. It’s a huge, huge devastation,” she said.
“Coming here, I just got goosebumps, you know … it’s tough.”