DRYDEN – The Dryden community is gathering in grief Friday to remember Jocelyn and Kayden Grant, whose young lives were cut short in a heartbreaking incident on the Wabigoon River.
A celebration of life for the siblings is taking place at 1 p.m. at the Dryden Community Funeral Home, where family, friends, classmates and neighbours will come together to honour their memory. A service will follow at the Government Dock at 2:30 p.m.
The community is invited to join family and friends, according to the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to show their support is encouraged to donate to a GoFundMe that has been set up to help the family to help with funeral costs and other expenses as they grieve.
The siblings' stepmother, Ashley Dodds, set up the fundraiser. On the site, she describes Jocelyn, 12, the only girl among four siblings, as the family’s “bright light,” a girl whose smile could light up a room. Always playful and full of laughter, she loved to joke, be silly, and was obsessed with the character of Stich from the movie Lilo & Stitch.
Dodds describes Kayden, who had just turned 15, as an introvert who made bonds of friendship that were unbreakable. "He loved learning about science, dinosaurs, sharks, fossils, and loved his video games. But most of all, he loved his little sister."
Dodds also described the tragic events of July 31, when the siblings drowned.
Jocelyn fell into the Wabigoon River, Dodds wrote. She did not know how to swim, and Kayden immediately jumped in to try to save her but was not able to reach her.
First responders and bystanders acted quickly, Dryden Mayor Jack Harrison said in a media release from the city, but when the children were later found they could not be revived. The OPP’s emergency response team, the Dryden Fire Service, and Northwest EMS all responded in force.
The notice from the funeral home lists a number of family members left behind, including their mother, Stacey; stepmother, Heather; brothers, Brennon and Zackary; grandparents; aunts; uncles; many cousins; and friends.
They also left a lasting impression on the teachers and staff at Prince of Wales School, where they had attended from kindergarten through Grade 8, wrote Dodds.
The heartbreaking incident has touched the lives of many in the community, said Harrison in his statement. "We mourn together, and we stand beside you during this unimaginable time."
