The death of a 12-year-old Cowichan Valley boy has prompted hundreds of people to donate to a new fund, established in his memory, “to promote his spirit of positive community impact,” and to help protect families from having to endure such tragic loss in the future.
Xavier Rasul-Jankovics died on Aug. 25 after he was struck by a car while rollerblading near his family home in the Cowichan Valley.
In the days following the news of Xavier’s death, hockey associations and other groups across Vancouver Island issued public statements of condolence and asked those in the hockey community to remember him with the hashtag #11KP.
Memorials and flowers dedicated to Xavier have been placed along Hillbank Road near his home, including hockey sticks and jerseys with the number 11 on them — Xavier’s jersey number with the Kerry Park Islanders.
Hockey coaches with Kerry Park Islanders said at his funeral on Saturday that they are considering retiring the jersey number in Xavier’s memory.
A close family friend, Rory Capern, has started an online fundraiser toward the creation of the Xavier Rasul-Jankovics Memorial Fund, which will be directed by family towards initiatives that will help prevent similar deaths.
Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday for Xavier’s celebration of life, held at Queen Margaret’s School in Duncan, where he was a student.
Speaking at the funeral, portions of which were livestreamed, his sister Kira Rasul-Jankovics said Xavier’s death makes it clear that “there is absolutely no tolerance for unsafe and dangerous driving.”
“His dream was to go to space one day,” and he often had a space fact ready at hand, she said.
He enjoyed coding, playing video games and picking up new sports in addition to hockey, his favourite sport.
“I am beyond devastated to have lost my baby brother,” she said, fighting back tears. “I hope it’s breathtaking up there, and I hope you’re in your happy place.”
Emergency responders were called to Hillbank Road in a rural part of Cowichan Valley on Aug. 25 after the driver of a Honda Civic lost control of their vehicle, struck Xavier and then hit a utility pole.
Police said early information from their investigation indicates that the vehicle’s driver and passenger, who are both 17, were travelling north heading out of the rural, dead-end road when the vehicle went out of control and hit Xavier, who had been out rollerblading with family.
RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Alex Bérubé said police do not believe alcohol was involved, but that speed played an important factor.
At the funeral, Josh Jankovics thanked first responders who tried to revive his son. “We probably had 40 of them there, everyone taking turns to try and get him going again.”
Jankovics said his other son was nearly killed on Aug. 25. “It was that close.”
“He was the whole light in my life and we were practically inseparable,” said Qais Rasul-Jankovics, who is 16 months older than Xavier. “It just doesn’t feel right” to go on living without his younger brother, he said. “But I know he would want all of us to keep moving on and he would want us to do something big with our lives.”
Zahra Rasul said that the family will do their best to honour her son’s legacy. Rasul, who said she has barely slept or eaten since her son died, thanked everyone who has expressed support, including neighbours, the hockey world, and people from around the world.
Head of school Ander Monro remembered Xavier as a curious, genuine and charming young man who spread positivity and humour among students and teachers.
Those traits became evident even before he began elementary studies, he said.
“Your passion for sports, as well as science and technology, shone though,” Monro said. “You possessed that rare ability to get on with anyone and the desire to help everyone irrespective of their grade.”
“Despite often being one step ahead of the crowd, you had the grace to never make others feel less, which in turn inspired them to want to be more,” he said.
A little more than $77,000 had been raised for the Xavier Rasul-Jankovics Foundation as of Monday morning.
Donations can be made at gofundme.com/f/xavier-rasuljankovics.
