Loved ones remember teen killed in Surrey two years ago
Family and friends gather to reminisce about 15-year-old Dario Bartoli, who died in December 2014
Two years after 15-year-old Dario Bartoli was killed in a group assault in south Surrey, his friends and family gathered in his honour Tuesday night to reminisce.
Ben Dunnill was a close friend of Bartoli's and wrote a song about him, called Passing Trains, shortly after he died.
Dunnill, now 17, says it'll be especially tough to graduate high school without him this year.
"Pretty soon we're going to be off in the world doing our thing, and we're still going to remember that our buddy isn't there to share those experiences with us."
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Dunnill says he and many of their friends have remained close with Bartoli's mom, June Iida.
"June is like a best friend now, she's like family to us. So we always do events, whether it's going for dinner or maybe we'll go bowling or something - it's almost become a regular thing."
Dunnill adds they make a point of creating something positive out of those special moments together.
"We don't talk about how sad it is, we share memories. It's almost as if he's still there with us, he's just living on through our memories and I think that's a beautiful thing."
Bartoli loved skateboarding and BMX, so his friends now organize an event every September, called Dario Jam, to raise money for youth programs in the community.
Still no arrests
Bartoli was victim of what police describe as a group assault near 156th Street and 18th Avenue in Surrey on Dec. 13, 2014.
He was rushed to nearby Peace Arch Hospital but died shortly after.
No arrests have been made and investigators have released few details about the case.
With files from Jesse Johnston