Hi all my name is Chad and I live in Ladner. I’ve known the family for 20 years and I’m raising money to help bring my brothers daughter home from Australia after a tragic loss of her life. She was a warrior and loved so deeply and she needs to be here to be put to rest. Thank you for your support for the family. A little insight from a good friend of the family..

Loosing Piper

There are no words that can truly heal a loss like loosing Piper. She and Taylor were the very best of inseparable best friends, sharing everything….laughter, dreams, hard work, adventure and a deep love for life.

They each worked hard and saved for over a year to make their dream of backpacking the coast of Australia a reality. And they did it! They made it to a place that left them in awe of its beauty and of the kind people they met along the way and by the endless adventures and opportunities the welcoming country provided.

They knew what a privilege it was to be there, and they embraced every moment… growing, learning, and fully living the experience side by side. They were both so excited to share their 19th birthdays together in the great land down under.

Piper became far more to our family than just our daughter’s friend … she became part of our family, just as Taylor is part of hers. From the moment she entered our lives, her light and laughter filled every space. She was strong, ambitious and determined, smart and funny, with a quiet strength that spoke volumes about who she was.

Piper loved deeply… she loved her family, her mom and dad and her grandparents, her dogs, and her friends. She showed her love through unwavering loyalty, kindness, open gratitude and by simply always being there. She loved to be spontaneous… She lived boldly and wholeheartedly.

She was an athlete, a dirt bike rider, a snowboarder, a dedicated seasonal firefighter, and devoted animal lover. Piper felt most herself when she was out in nature and was always up hiking, camping, snowboarding, surfing, chasing waves, and feeling the sand beneath her feet.

The ocean called to her, just as adventure did. Turning 19 in Australia was part of their dream and they worked tirelessly to it make come true. Their game plan was to return home at the end of March to Vancouver Island ready to embrace adulthood and all the responsibilities it entails.

Their timeline was guided impart by Piper’s drive to resume her firefighting training so she would be ready for the upcoming season. She was determined to continue to pursue building a life rooted in purpose, passion, and service.

Piper was beautiful inside and out… full of life, laughter, and a free spirit that could never be contained. Though our hearts are broken, we are trying to find comfort in knowing her spirit is free, forever connected to the ocean of which she loved.

She will always be with us… in the seas, the trails, the mountain scapes, the sky and all the sunrises and sunsets that she treasured so much… she will be in every moment of wild beauty. Piper will be loved, remembered, and cherished always.

We need to acknowledge the kind souls who were there to help carry our Taylor through this difficult time… many of whom were, and are, carrying their own unimaginable grief from this unfathomable event. Our hearts are with each of you. We are forever grateful for the kindness, care, and compassion shown to our daughter as she awoke to a nightmare and had to embark the uncharted waters of loosing her very best friend while abroad. From their immediate coworkers to the management and the owner: Your humanity, empathy, and support have meant more to us than we can ever properly express, and we will carry that gratitude with us always. ❤️‍

We empathize and share greatly in the deep and debilitating pain that her family is left to endure. While time, as it does, will attempt to soothe and ease; a cut to the heart this deep will inevitably leave a forever scar as the loss of a love as great as this can never truly heal. We hope they find comfort in the memories and shared stories of their strong and beautiful daughter who was touched and loved by so many. We will always hold a safe space in our herts for your baby girl! Always and forever!

Social media can be a powerful place to share both the highs and the lows of life. We have been overwhelmingly touch by the love and concern people have shared. On the flip side, in these moments, it has been incredibly difficult to witness the hurtful comments and the heartless side of humanity that sometimes emerges alongside support. We are trying our best to shield our family from anything but the compassion that is being expressed. We have no space for political agendas, ill/disrespectful humour, unsolicited opinions or speculation during this time of heartache and tragedy.

When the girls first left for Australia, we told them to always call… that there were no problems we couldn’t face together, and that safety was the most important thing. This isn’t how this was meant to play out, but what has happened cannot be undone. It cannot be fixed. But we can honor Piper… her free spirit, her kindness, and her way of moving through the world.

We can do that by choosing compassion, by leading with empathy, and by spreading kindness in our daily lives. That is how Piper lived, and it’s what she would have wanted. RIP beautiful sweet Piper, rest in peace!❤️‍