Friends of teen who survived Anoka Street stabbing 'stunned,' praying for recovery

The loved ones of 19-year old Catherine Ready say they're in shock asshe remains in the hospital nearly a week after a fatal stabbing at her family'sAlta Vista home.

Ready was rushed to The Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus trauma unit on June 27 withserious stab wounds and a gunshot injury after she was attacked outside the home on Anoka Street by 21-year-old Joshua Graves.

Graves had earlier fatally stabbed her mother, 50-year-old Anne-Marie Ready, and her younger sister, 15-year-old Jasmine Ready.

When police arrived on the scene at around 10:30 p.m., they found Graves, the son of the family's next-door neighbour,stabbing Ready in the road near the house.

According to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ontario's police watchdog, three officersopened fire on Graves after he refused to drop his knife,killing him.Catherine Ready was hit as well.

"All of our hearts dropped when we found out," said Katherine Sauv, Ready's high school friend.

CBC News has learned that Graves had a "romantic" interest in one of the victims, according to his own family, and was just charged just days earlier with stalking and sexual assault against another 16-year old girl.

The SIU said on Tuesday that Ready was in serious but stable condition.

Tight-knit family

Sauvsaidshe's still in disbelief over that night, like many others who were close to the family.

Sauvand Ready attended high school at cole secondaire catholique Franco-Cit, graduating together in 2021. She said Ready returned to Canada a few years ago from Lima, Peru, where her mother was working in the Canadian embassy.

Sauvdescribed her friend as incredibly kind, and said whenever she needed help with school, she would go to Ready.

"She really had the brains she's so nice, open-minded," she said.

Ready was inseparable from her younger sister and very close to her mother, Sauv said, and the trio frequently took long walks with their white terrier, Jenny.

She said the tight-knit family also enjoyed going out to brunch together.

"I'm stunned, honestly," she said."It's really hard to believe someone would do that to her, because she's such a nice person."

"We still can't believe it."

Friend stunned by stabbing attack of family in south Ottawa

2 years ago

Duration 1:00

Katherine Sauv says she was shocked that someone would attack her high school friend Catherine Ready and her family.

Nadia Larocque-Lauzon also went to high school with Ready, and said theybonded over music and podcasts.

"She was always there for me," saidLarocque-Lauzon, describing herfriend as sweet and friendly.

After they graduated, Ready went on to study at the University of Ottawa.Larocque-Lauzon said shewas taking classes in psychology there and has a great interest in pursuing psychotherapy.

"It's something that I'm sure she's going to be good at," she said.

'Hopefully she will get through this'

Sauvand Larocque-Lauzon said they're eager to visit their friend at the hospital, but so far they haven't been able to see her.

"It's going to take a long time [for Catherine] to cope with this," said Sauv. "With our support, hopefully she will get through this."

Neighbours of the family have been leaving flowers and sympathy cards on the Ready family'sfront lawn this week.Relatives and friends are also holding a vigil on Saturday evening for the family.

Both Sauv and Larocque-Lauzon, meanwhile, are praying for Ready's recovery and survival.

"I put it in God's hands," said Larocque-Lauzon.