Holly Indridson, 38, has joined a club nobody wants to belong to.
She鈥檚 yet another parent who鈥檚 lost a beloved child to mindless violence in Surrey.
鈥淚鈥檝e been through so many losses and this one, it鈥檚 crushed my will to live but I have to live, you know,鈥� she says, less than three days after her 17-year-old son, Ethan Bespflug, died in hospital after being fatally stabbed April 11 while riding a bus in the 9900-block of King George Boulevard.
Before Tuesday night, when he texted that he was scared and threatened by other passengers, Ethan had never complained about riding bus or SkyTrain.
鈥淗im and his friend would take the bus and SkyTrain, they鈥檇 take it downtown, they鈥檇 go to Brentwood Mall, they鈥檇 go to Metrotown, they utilized it so they could explore their surroundings and their world you know, as teenagers would. I don鈥檛 think at any time he felt unsafe and for this to happen on the bus鈥�,鈥� Indridson, an Abbotsford resident, trails off.
Authorities from Premier David Eby on down have expressed outrage at her son鈥檚 homicide and have promised enhanced police patrols on public transit in its wake.
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping that they can put more security,鈥� Indridson says of this. 鈥淲hen I was younger, there was a security guard or a transit police on the bus itself, when I was like 17.
鈥淚 thought there would be a lot more,鈥� she says.
TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn vented about the crime during an in Surrey on Friday,
鈥淚鈥檓 angry, we鈥檙e really angry, I鈥檓 very frustrated, I鈥檓 bothered by these events and as a parent of two transit-riding kids, every single day, I am concerned,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e will not allow criminals or those who want to commit crimes to come onto our system.鈥�
TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn goes "off script" about violence on public transit during presser in Surrey on Friday.
鈥� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)
鈥淚鈥檒l say as a father, I will say I was particularly shocked regarding the fatal stabbing of a teenager aboard one of our buses and our sincere condolences are with that young man鈥檚 family,鈥� Quinn said.
鈥淥ur Transit Police have already stepped up patrols in crime hot spots and the forthcoming 24 community safety officers will allow police to further focus their efforts on criminal activity. We鈥檙e always looking for new ways to improve safety on transit and I want to emphasize that if anyone feels unsafe on our system they should immediately text Transit Police at any time at 87-7777.鈥�
More from TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn on recent violence on public transit.
鈥� Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk)
Indridson says two GoFundMe campaigns will help her surviving children and help put Ethan to rest. By Friday afternoon, by her sister-in-law Andrea Van Der Gracht had already raised $19,485 dollars another aunt, Daphni Miller, had by Friday afternoon raised $16,931.
鈥淭he outpouring of support and just people that are messaging me that are just, I don鈥檛 know them, but other mothers that are messaging me, the family, the friends, people I haven鈥檛 talked to since high school, it鈥檚 just amazing how communities come together but I just wish it wasn鈥檛 under these circumstances,鈥� Indridson says. 鈥淚 can feel it and I know Ethan is smiling down because that it鈥檚 what he would want in this type of situation, for his family not to feel alone and feel love and support.鈥�
Her younger children 鈥渁re devastated.
鈥淢y kids were all very close, they got along well, there鈥檚 very large age gaps between some of them. They connected in such a way that to me it was magical watching them together and Ethan was the largest piece of the puzzle.鈥�
Homicide detectives are in contact with her.
At this time of writing a suspect had not been identified.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e trying to not overwhelm me,鈥� she says of police. 鈥淚鈥檝e asked everyone to not tell me anything because I cannot handle it, you know. So they came over and they told me it鈥檚 going well. That鈥檚 all, for me, that I can take at this time because I don鈥檛 want it to be real. I鈥檓 in shock.鈥�
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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