GoFundMe started for Surrey murder victim’s family
Posted June 25, 2018 2:51 pm.
Last Updated June 25, 2018 3:03 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SURREY (NEWS 1130) – Support is pouring in after a local hockey hockey coach and nurse was shot to death in Clayton Heights this weekend.
A GoFundMe page has been set for the family of Paul Bennett by friend and former co-worker Tammy Larson. She’s calling for the community to give back to a man who she says gave so much to others.
“I dont want his family to have to live off of credit cards and incur more debt. I want them to be able to have the time to grieve. I would like for the Gofund me to be able to supplement them.”
She says the community has stepped up, with more than $2,000 of a $10,000 goal raised in less than a day.
“I already see that it’s happening, I see former co-workers giving and I see OR reps and they are contacting me and they are giving generously.”
Larson worked alongside Bennett as a nurse at Vancouver General Hospital 23 years ago, and remembered Bennett as “light-hearted and compassionate”.
“He was always a hard-worker, patient, a good nurse. It didn’t matter what happened, he helped you with a smile on his face, he would always be there and it would always be a great night, not matter how difficult of a night it would be.”
She says Bennett had a passion for his young children as well as his wife, who he met while the pair worked at Vancouver General Hospital.
“She worked at VGH. If you saw how much he loved his wife…they were still together. The type of man he was to her, you wouldn’t question his character. You’ll hear the same stories about the type of father he was with hockey, with his kids who played soccer, and the type of nurse he was.”
She says the news of Bennett’s murder came as a shock, and highlights the rising amount of gun violence in the Lower Mainland.
“I’m dumbfounded. If this could happen to Paul, it could happen to any of us. This needs to stop, these shootings in our community. It’s just crazy.”
Bennett was shot to death outside his home in the Clayton Heights area on Saturday night. The investigation continues, though IHIT hasn’t released a motive or made any arrests.
