Vigil for mother, daughter killed at home in Ottawa's Alta Vista neighbourhood
One by one, mourners lined up patiently to lay flowers at the home of 50-year-old Anne-Marie Ready and 15-year-old Jasmine Ready.
The mother and daughter died from stab wounds following an incident at an Alta Vista home Monday night. A loss that continues to leave many in disbelief and shock.
Among the flowers were two black belts, a tribute from members of the Douvris Martial Arts dojo where Anne-Marie and Jasmine trained.
"These were beautiful women who were murdered," said Naomi Eberhard, who trained with the Readys. "And they are an extremely important part of our community. I’ve never seen them without a smile on their face, they were so full of joy constantly."
Just two weeks ago, Anne-Marie and Jasmine received their black belt.
"We had been training together for three years and in the last six months you get to know people pretty well," said Michael Penny, who also received his black belt. "We wanted to be here today to show her other family her karate family is here to support her.”
On Saturday, Alta Vista neighbours organized the memorial starting at Edgehill Park before walking to the Ready family’s home on Anoka Street.
"I didn’t know them personally but I think any time there’s a tragedy like this we all feel it. A mother and daughter were lost here," said Cheshmak Farhoumand-Sims, who helped organize the vigil.
Anne-Marie Ready worked as a trade commissioner with Global Affairs Canada. Those who knew her describe Ready as someone who had a good sense of humour and made everyone feel welcome.
"In a nutshell, an amazing human being, someone that cared about others," said Anand Harrilall, who spoke to CTV News from Guyana. "I can’t really grasp that she’s really gone."
A trait many say she passed along to her daughters Jasmine and Catherine.
"All three girls were just a beautiful ray of sunshine… very welcoming and friendly," said neighbour Jacqueline Tokarew.
"It’s really overwhelming just how many people they touched and how much impact a family can have in all aspects of their lives," said Jana Marcoux, a friend of Catherine Ready.
A GoFundMe page has been set up through the dojo. Several in attendance wore purple or green to raise awareness of gender-based violence and mental health.
"Three women’s lives forever changed, two of them no longer with us and our health system including our mental health system is broken and we need to fix that or we will see this again and that is not okay," said Eberhard.
Nineteen-year-old Catherine Ready, Anne-Marie Ready's daughter, was seriously injured and remains in hospital. The Special Investigations Unit says police saw a man stabbing a woman when they arrived on the scene, and she was struck by police gunfire.
The Special Investigations Unit hasn't identified the 21-year-old man shot dead by responding Ottawa police officers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.