'Abby Strong': Students, teachers wear shirts in solidarity after fatal school stabbing

Students and teachers at Abbotsford Secondary wore shirts in the school's colours with the words "Abby Strong" on them on Thursday, to show their support after the fatal stabbing at the school last week. 

The community has been reeling from the tragedy that left one student dead and another injured. Gabriel Klein is accused of walking into the B.C. high school and killing Letisha Reimer, 13, and injuring another teen. 

Josh Vanderheide, the organizer of the #AbbyStrong initiative, says he wanted to do something to show the community's support. His wife, Gina, is a teacher who was called in to work at Abbotsford Secondary on Nov. 1. 

"So it hit close to home," he said. 

He designed the shirts, and the City of Abbotsford and several businesses put together $20,000 to print them. 

The organizers distributed the shirts to students and teachers on Nov. 10. 

Erika Smith, a student at Abbotsford Secondary, said she appreciated the shirts. 

"I feel like it is a really good way to bring us all together. It just kind of shows we were here."

Fellow student Maddie Hadfield echoed that sentiment. 

"It makes me feel proud to show how strong our community is, like, coming all together," she added. "I never would have thought there would have been this much support, which is really good to see that."

The $25 shirts and $2 bumper stickers are available for purchase at Abbotsford City Hall and several businesses in the city. Net proceeds from the sales will go directly to the families of the victims, Vanderheide said.

Organizers hope the initiative will raise at least $50,000.