The first of 10 victims killed after a rental van mowed down pedestrians on a busy Toronto sidewalk has been identified.
The family of Anne Marie D’Amico said she had a “generous heart” and always did “big things” for people.
“She genuinely wanted to care for all those around her even if it meant sacrificing a portion of herself in return for others' happiness. She only had kindness in her,” her family said in a statement released on Tuesday.
The family said they’re comforted by the fact that the world has been given the opportunity to learn from D’Amico.
“Her name has been broadcasted around the world, attached to this terrible tragedy. But we want everyone to know that she embodied the definition of altruism,” the statement read. “We hope that in this time, people fight with the same altruism rather than anger and hatred.”
D’Amico worked at Invesco, a U.S.-based investment management firm, which had its Canadian headquarters in North York, a source confirmed to CP24. On Monday, the company said in a statement that two of its employees were injured during the incident.
On Tuesday morning, the president of Invesco Canada confirmed to CTV News that one their staff members had died.
“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all those impacted by this tragic event,” Peter Intraligi said in an emailed statement. “I can now confirm that unfortunately one of our employees has succumbed to her injuries. Out of respect for her and her family, we will not be providing any further comments.”
Toronto Coun. Cesar Palacio identified D’Amico as one of the victims in the attack during a council meeting at city hall on Tuesday. He said he’s been in contact with her parents, who are his constituents. Palacio also said that D’Amico had a brother and a sister.
Abdullah Snobar, the executive director of Ryerson University’s Digital Media Zone, knew D’Amico through the student groups she was involved in while she was studying there. He described D’Amico as a “shining light” who represented the best of Canadians.
“Anne Marie was an incredible, incredible human being. One of the most happiest and cheerful people you will ever meet,” he told CTV News Channel on Tuesday. “I had the privilege of being around her for many years and never did I see her down or sad, [she was] usually the one that was lifting people up to find their best and be their best.”
He said that he believes she was approximately 29 years old when she died and that she graduated from the school in 2010.
“[She was] an individual that we constantly talked about as a person that the country and the city needed more people like,” Snobar said. “An incredible human being that we all dearly loved and already miss.”
D’Amico also worked at the Canadian charity Live Different as well as for the Badminton and Racquet Club of Toronto, according to a Facebook profile believed to belong to her.
Tennis Canada said that D’Amico had worked at the Rogers Cup since she was 12 years old. In a statement released Tuesday, the organization said she started out working as a ball girl and worked her way up to become an “integral part” of the volunteer team. In her most recent role, she served as committee head of stadium control while she also worked at Invesco, the statement said.
“She was always smiling, had the biggest heart and always put other people’s needs ahead of her own,” Tennis Canada said.
D’Amico was voted Tennis Canada’s volunteer of the year in 2016.
“Her passion for Rogers Cup was contagious and we are honoured to let the world know what an amazing person she was and the great things she did for others,” Gavin Ziv, the vice president of professional events at Tennis Canada, said in the statement.
Tennis Canada also said that D’Amico’s grandmother, mother, father and brother have all volunteered for the organization over the years.
Police have not released the names or ages of the other 9 people killed in the tragedy. Fifteen other people were injured.
A growing memorial with candles, flowers and messages of support has been set up along a wall on the east side of Yonge Street where the attack began.
A GoFundMe page to raise money for the victims’ funeral expenses has been set up by Canada Zakat, a Muslim-Canadian non-profit organization that collected more than $800,000 for the victims and families of the Quebec mosque shooting in 2017. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Toronto van attack campaign has raised more than $80,000 of its $1 million target.
The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. on Monday, when a white rental van mounted a busy stretch of sidewalk on Yonge St., just south of Finch Ave., hitting numerous pedestrians as it drove southbound.
Shortly after, Alek Minassian, 25, of Richmond Hill, Ont., was arrested in connection with the incident after a brief standoff with police. He has been charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder.
Here’s what we know about the other victims so far:
Two South Koreans
Two South Koreans are dead and another one “seriously injured” in the deadly attack, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.
The Seoul government announced that two South Koreans were fatally injured in the incident, the paper said. Officials said efforts were underway to find out the exact condition of the injured person.
“The foreign ministry has taken necessary steps, including contacting the families of the victims, and plans to provide relevant consular support in case the families want to visit there,” an official was quoted as saying.
The paper also reported that three other South Koreans have been unaccounted for in the aftermath of the attack.
A Jordanian man
The Jordanian foreign ministry, quoted by local media, says that a Jordanian man has been identified as one of the van attack victims. He was visiting his son who lives in Toronto, according to the reports.
A college student
A student of Seneca College, located in Toronto, was also killed in the incident, according to a statement from the school.
“The Seneca community is deeply saddened by the horrific attack on Yonge Street yesterday. Our thoughts are with all those affected, including the family and friends of one of our students who died as a result of the tragic incident,” the statement read.
With files from CP24 and The Canadian Press.