Memorial bench to be fitting tribute to tragic Kayla, eight
THE family of Kayla MacDonald, the eight-year-old girl from Dunbeg who died in a tragic accident in an Argyll forest in the summer, are dedicating a memorial bench just before her birthday this Christmas.
And they are inviting people to attend the dedication to share their happy memories of her.
Kayla, a pupil at the Rockfield Gaelic-medium unit in Oban, was killed by falling logs in a forest near Benderloch in July, in an incident which also injured a 12-year-old girl.
Her grief-stricken family described her as a ‘precious and fun-loving eight-year-old who was loved by everyone around her’, whose ‘smile would light up a room’.
A few days before what would have been Kayla’s ninth birthday this month, her relatives will install a seat in one of her favourite spots, which they can see from their homes.
Kayla’s mum, Karina MacPherson, invited people to join them to remember her.
She said: ‘As a mark of respect to Kayla Mary MacDonald, the family have arranged for a memorial bench to be placed inside Dunstaffnage Castle.
‘They will be meeting on Friday December 15 at 3.30pm inside the castle and would love for any friends and family to come along to mark this event.
‘Afterwards they invite everyone to Soroba House in memory of Kayla and to think of her in the lead up to December 20, her birthday.’
Kayla’s grandmother, Janice Ferguson, or ‘gaga’ as Kayla called her, said: ‘Kayla would be nine on December 20. We were thinking about a way to remember Kayla.’
The family settled on installing a bench at Dunbeg’s historic landmark castle, and its custodians kindly offered to put it inside the ancient walls.
‘I am not sure they have thought this through: a MacDonald bench in a Campbell castle!’ Janice said.
The area had great significance for Kayla and for her relatives.
Janice added: ‘The three families all live there, looking across to the castle, and Kayla moved there in her last year of life. The house looks straight across to the castle.
‘Kayla has got lots of happy memories there. I have pictures of her rolling her Easter eggs there. I have pictures of her on the steps just before the accident.
‘It is going to be a difficult Christmas,’ she added. ‘We are dreading it. It is the run up to Kayla’s ninth birthday. It is not going to be easy.’
Kayla’s six-year-old brother ‘just does not understand’, Janice said, adding: ‘He asked if Santa will bring Kayla back. Other kids want the most upto-date gadgets, and there he is wishing his sister back.
‘We want to remember the happy times because she was such a happy child. We will do a wee talk about Kayla. I have got a plaque for the bench. It’s porcelain, with a picture of Kayla’s face. It says, “In memory of our princess Kayla Mary MacDonald. Forever eight”.’