Friends of New West crash victims raising money for funeral costs

The family and friends of two teenagers killed in a tragic car accident Tuesday in New Westminster are raising money to cover funeral costs and other expenses for the victims’ families.

As of publication, two GoFundMe funds have raised more than a combined $50,000 for the teens’ families.

On Tuesday at around 11 p.m. near 10th Street and 6th Avenue, Metro Vancouver Transit Police attempted a traffic stop, where the suspect vehicle then fled. The fleeing car was soon found in flames after crashing into a second car carrying 18-year-old Samir Olyad Suleiman and his friend Yasbirat Ytatek.

Both teenagers were taken to hospital, but later died of their injuries.

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In a GoFundMe set up by one friend Alex Greenall, it says both boys were on their way home from a soccer game, adding “Samir was a beloved member of his community in East Vancouver and the eldest son of a family who, as refugees, immigrated to Canada 5 years ago.”

According to Greenall, Suleiman had recently graduated from high school, and had just received a full scholarship to the University of British Columbia to study kinesiology. He was the eldest of nine children, and was a “loving and reliable caretaker” of his younger siblings.

“Samir was known by all as compassionate, friendly, bright and wise beyond his years. He regularly volunteered in his community, and most important to him in his life were his faith and the work he did with children,” Greenall wrote.

In a post shared on Instagram, RayCam Co-operative Centre in the Strathcona neighbourhood shared that Suleiman was a “dear” staff member, and is reminding the community to check in with one another as everyone mourns the massive loss.

“We are all here to take care for one another, reach out if you need,” the co-op says.

A friend of Ytatek, Mitsilal Weldahaimanot wrote on their GoFundMe that Ytatek was a phenomenal person and will be missed by many people.

“Yasbit was entering his final year of high school in September and was a great role model for his younger siblings and community members,” Weldahaimanot wrote.

“He was an amazing rugby and soccer player. He was awarded player of the month for his soccer club team in March and recently made the Burnaby District Metro Soccer Men’s team, which is a big accomplishment.”

Explaining that Ytatek’s family was new to Canada from Ethiopia, his parents are heartbroken and “experiencing unspeakable grief.”

“Neither of his parents [are] able to work after suffering from this tragedy, so we are reaching out to the community to help support the family,” they wrote.

The fundraiser for Samir Suleiman can be found here, while Yasbirat Ytatek’s frundraiser can be found here.