Riley Valcin, a 22-year-old employee at the Old Port's La Grande Roue de Montréal and aspiring engineer, died on December 25 after a workplace accident.
Since Valcin's passing, a GoFundMe has been created by Roberto Rivera-Rubio, an individual who said he was like a brother to them, to help collect funds "to pay for funeral service costs and all expenses that could affect the family."
The fundraiser's page explains that "Any money remaining will be used to support Riley’s mother so that she may grieve with the least possible inconvenience."
Rivera-Rubio described Valcin as having "a bright future ahead of him. As a civil engineering student at Polytechnique, he aspired to become a great engineer." He was said to be a "born warrior; one to never turn away from a challenge."
Valcin will be remembered as "a person who was always there for those dear to him as well as for those he barely knew. He filled the hearts of those around him with joy, laughter and serenity."
"He truly was an easy-to-talk-to person leaving everyone he spoke to with a sentiment of ease."
In less than 24 hours of creating the GoFundMe for Riley Jonathan Valcin, donations had already surpassed $38,600 and the amount continued to rise by the minute.
In a social media post, the company wrote "we are heartbroken" and went on to say, "our priority right now is to support the family, friends, and the team in their grieving process."
The Grande Roue has been closed since Valcin was injured and there is currently a pending police investigation about the matter.
