Community supports parents who lost two kids
A community fundraiser offering face paintings and pony rides has humbled the parents suffering the loss of two children.
Tyler Gilbert, 21, died of a suspected suicide on January 7. Nearly nine months later, on September 27, seven-year-old Emma Warren was killed in a traffic accident while riding a bike home from school.
Parents S’ean and Karen Warren were soon surrounded by their Inglewood community with fundraising initiatives launched to support the family and petitions circling to capture the attention of local council. The tragic story not only shook the town’s people, but it broke hearts throughout the Taranaki region.
And that’s exactly why Fleur Devonshire, of Bell Block, put on the fundraiser at the TET Stadium & Events Centre on Saturday.
‘‘I thought there was no point in sitting and having a tear and I should do something about it instead,’’ she said.
Devonshire approached the Warrens with the idea of a community event to raise funds to help support the family.
She gathered food trucks, market stall holders, a pony ride business and a face painter, with everyone agreeing to donate their time and pass on the proceeds.
Devonshire, who owns Tangles Hair Design in New Plymouth, even put on a stall offering haircuts. ‘‘It was really busy. It couldn’t have happened without our sponsors and without everyone putting in the time.’’
Children ran around, icecream cones in hand and flowers painted on their face, while parents perused dozens of stalls offering handmade goodies such as Taranaki-themed calendars or knitted chicken doorstops.
Karen Warren said she and S’ean were in awe.
‘‘We’re just really blown away by it all, don’t really know what to say.
‘‘We’re humbled by everyone that came down for us.
‘‘And we just want to say thank you to everyone for putting in the time and the effort to make this happen.’’
Gilbert was Karen’s son and S’ean’s stepson and his death was the focus of a Stuff feature looking at the effects of suicide.
Since Glibert’s death, the Warrens had become heavily involved with initiatives aimed at reducing youth suicide rates and, in August, S’ean installed a community fridge in Inglewood to help those on the poverty line.
Emma Warren’s death the following month triggered a response within the Inglewood community that saw flowers and teddy bears left on a corner off the town’s main road, a petition for a safer crosswalk gather 3818 signatures at the time of writing, and a motorbike procession for the young girl’s funeral.
A Givealittle page created the day following Emma’s death, which ran for about four weeks, had raised $31,505 for the Warren family.
It is unknown how much money had been raised at the event on Saturday.