Friends raise money for funeral of slain B.C. teen

Friends and family held a bottle drive over the weekend to raise money for the funeral of an 18-year-old killed during an altercation on a Surrey bus.

Jamie Kehoe wasstabbed in the neck during a fighton a bus at the corner of 72 Avenue and 128 Street on Oct. 8. He died in hospital the next day.

On Saturday, friends, family and strangers sorted and bagged thousands of bottles collected in Kehoe's name.

"I thought I'd love to do something for the family and raise money for his funeral, just help the best I can, so I made a Facebook page and it turned out so well, I'm so glad I did it," said organizer Alana Faucher.

Harvin Boporan was one of the many strangers who felt compelled to help the family.

"It's such a sad situation and a great cause so since I had a bunch [of bottles], I thought I'd rather do something like this with them," he said.

Friends say Kehoe would have been shocked to see how many people came out to help, but grandmother Robin Kehoe said it doesn't surprise her at all.

"Jamie had this sideways grin and these dimples," she said. "And I just picture him here us with that grin and those dimples."

'Thank you'

The bottle drive was held at a skateboard park in North Deltaa park where Kehoe loved to skateboard.

The money raised from the bottle drive will help pay for Kehoe's funeral, and the family also intends to donate some of the money to buy skateboards for kids who can't afford them.

The teen's father Jason Kehoe said the support from the community has been overwhelming.

"I can't say enough, I'm floored right now," he said. "I'm overwhelmed. I just want to say: 'Thank you.' I don't know what to say."

Kehoe's younger brother, 12-year-old Trevan, struggled not to cry as he looked around at the crowd of people who came out to help.

"It makes me feel good to know this many people care. I hope Jamie can see us and know how many people love him," Trevan said. "He was funny, he was respectful ... and he loved Pizza Pops."

No arrests have been made in Kehoe's death, but police are looking to speak with two persons of interest seen leaving the area that night, described only as a woman and a tall black man.