The morning of the day he died, Ethan Bespflug taught his little sister to ride a bike, mother says
Michelle Gomez | CBC News | Posted: April 21, 2023 5:29 AM | Last Updated: April 21, 2023
About 100 people — and the teen's beloved pet duck — were in attendance at the memorial
Family and friends gathered Thursday afternoon at Holland Park in Surrey, southeast of Vancouver, to remember the teen who was fatally stabbed on a public transit bus last week.
A crowd of about 100 people attended the celebration of life for Ethan Bespflug, offering flowers and condolences and sharing memories of the 17-year-old.
They described him as kind, smart, polite and thoughtful.
"I feel like my whole being is gone, my soul is gone with Ethan," said Bespflug's mother, Holly Indridson.
Bespflug was the oldest of five siblings, whom he loved and for whom he paved the way, said Indridson. He taught his younger sister how to ride a bike on the morning of the day he died.
"He set such a good example of how to live life and how you should be helping others."
After being with friends on the evening of April 11, Bespflug rode the 503 bus to King George Station, where his mother was going to pick him up to drive him home.
But when Indridson noticed his phone's location was at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, she said she knew something was wrong.
She rushed to the hospital to find her son had been fatally stabbed.
Twenty-year-old Kaiden Mintenko from Burnaby has been arrested and charged with second-degree homicide in relation to the incident, with police confirming the two were known to each other through a third party, although the motive for the attack is still unclear.
A helping hand
Bespflug was always helping his family, friends and strangers, according to Indridson.
"If you see someone struggling maybe needing some help crossing the street he would be that person," said Indridson.
"And more people need to be like that."
Indridson said she was very close to her son, spending lots of time with him in conversation, watching movies and baking. She said seeing a large turnout to his memorial means the world to her.
"He was always there, he was always kind and gentle to everybody in the world," said Bespflug's stepfather, Michael Gallacher, at the celebration of life.
Bespflug's beloved pet duck Howard was also present.
Indridson said the family had adopted two ducks last year, and Bespflug bonded with Howard in particular. He would take them out for walks around the neighborhood.
"They put smiles on peoples' faces," she said.