Community mourns loss of seven-year-old in east-end house fire
School helping staff, students cope with loss of ‘warm and happy boy’
The community at Bowmore Road Junior and Senior Public School is grappling with the loss of Grade 1 student Kai Dombrovskis (Jansons), who died after a house fire on Gainsborough Road Friday.
“Kai will be remembered fondly by his friends and teachers as a warm and happy boy who loved exploring science and nature,” the school’s principal, Heather Groves, said in a letter to parents Tuesday.
“He will be truly missed by his Bowmore family and friends.”
Groves noted that the school’s focus will be to help students and staff cope with the sevenyear-old’s death.
“This has been a somber time for all of us at the school as we mourn and come to terms with the tragic loss of a wonderful boy at Bowmore,” she said in the letter.
Specially trained Toronto District School Board social workers are available to students and staff to provide support and counselling, the letter reads.
It adds that they will remain “for as long as they are needed.”
The child’s grandmother, Jana Jansons and his mother’s childhood friend Amanda Freimanis, also died in the fire. His mother Arija Celeste Jansons, was injured. Matthew Zdybal, 31, also died.
Jennifer Jones, who has known the family for more than 20 years, said the boy took after his mother as a generous, kind and gracious person. She called him the “bright star of the family.”
“(He) was the sweetest, most creative and loving boy,” Jones said.
“No matter what, Kai was always positive.”
Friends have launched a GoFundMe in support of the victims involved, which has raised more than $44,000 so far.
The organizers are in contact with lawyers to assist with dispersing the funds, the page reads.