Funeral Held For Couple Killed In Alleged Street Racing Accident

It was supposed to be one of the happiest days of their lives. Instead family and friends are mourning their passing.

Funeral services were held in Oak Ridges Friday for Rob and Lisa Manchester.

They were killed in an accident at Yonge and Stouffville Sideroad Saturday night when one of two cars involved in an alleged street race plowed straight into them.

The couple had been out celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary.

The accident left their seven year-old daughter Katie an orphan and those who knew her mom and dad devastated.

All funerals are tough. This one was almost unbearable.

“It just raises a lump in your throat,” family spokesman Michael Gray admits. “It’s just very tragic seeing her sitting there with her two cousins instead of sitting with her mom and dad.”

One of the first police officers at the scene says he’ll never forget having to break the news to the youngster that both her parents were gone.

“She was asking me why, why couldn’t I fix her mummy and daddy, and dealing with that,” relates Sgt. David Mitchell of York Regional Police.

“She’s the type of little girl — and you’ve seen her, cute, innocent little thing, along with those big blue eyes looking right through me, searching for the answers, and — tell her the truth. Try to put it in her terms as best I could, um — it’s difficult.”

Friends of the family, who are trying to do what they can, have been amazed at the child’s ability to cope.

“They tell us the children are very resilient. They can bounce back,” agrees Charles Ceres, a family friend. “She will miss her parents. She will feel the loss, but hopefully in time to come, you know, she will bounce back. She will get on with it, and I know she’s surrounded by loving grandparents, aunts, uncles, loving relatives. So I’m sure they’ll take very good care of her.”

An 18-year-old has been charged in the incident, while another suspected participant remains in hospital.

At least one local politician is hoping some good can come out of the terrible tragedy.

Conservative MPP Frank Klees wants the McGuinty government to reintroduce legislation to ban street racing for good.

He believes there will be no opposition to the move by the other parties at Queen’s Park.

“They’ve had time to ban pit bulls and ban junk food, but they haven’t gotten around to banning street racing in this province. And it’s unconscionable,” the Oak Ridges Tory fumes.

“It’s a matter of bringing the legislation forward. We’re urging them to do that. We’ll guarantee quick passage of this legislation.”

The law had been tabled two years ago, but was wiped out by the Ontario election.

But even if the province doesn’t act, Klees may still get his wish.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper confirmed last week the federal government will be moving this spring to introduce legal changes to make street racing a criminal offence, accompanied by stiff fines, jail terms and a potential permanent loss of license.

Gray thinks it’s already overdue. “Why would anyone want to travel at 150 kilometres an hour on a public road? ” he asks bitterly. “I would like an answer to that.”

A memorial continues to grow at the site of the crash, and Katie will remain in the custody of her aunt, uncle and two cousins.

No one’s quite sure how they’ll all cope with the extra expenses, so a trust fund has been set up to help the child as she heads into an uncertain future.

If you’d like to help the young girl, you can donate to:

The Trust Fund For Katie Manchester.
TD Canada Trust,
Transit # 05062,
Account Number # 834-362-896-95.

Cheques can be made to “In Trust – Cathy and Jeff Gray”.