Overview

• On May 31, Walkerton held joint memorials for Danica Baker and Olivia Rourke at the community centre, followed by services in Chesley for Kaydance Ford and Rowan McLeod and in Owen Sound for teacher Matthew Eckert.
• The five were killed on May 23 when their vehicle, returning from a Dorchester softball tournament, collided with a transport truck and another SUV outside London, leaving other motorists with minor injuries.
• Bouquets at the school entrance, blue ribbons on buses and sneakers on doorsteps are among community tributes honoring the athletes and their coach.
• The students excelled in sports ranging from softball and gymnastics to broomball and basketball and led fundraising efforts, while Eckert was a celebrated lacrosse coach and high school math teacher.
• Grief counsellors have been deployed across regional schools to support students and families as the community continues to process its loss.