Photo/GoFundme/Sarah Cotton
The mother of two young girls found murdered in Oak Bay on Christmas Day has started a fundraising campaign to raise money for charity as she prepares to run a half marathon in Vancouver next month.
Sarah Cotton explains that the decision is part of her healing, and way to honour her girls who she knows will be running alongside her in spirit.
Cotton also posted a photo of Chloe, aged 6 and Aubrey, aged 4, at their last run in October 2017.
“On Christmas Day, my beloved girls were taken from me and their father, Andrew Berry, has been arrested and charged in their deaths,” she writes.
“Along with myself, my family, friends and many others in the Victoria community and beyond are devastated, shocked and overwhelmed with grief at this senseless and futile tragedy.”
Half of the money raised will go to the Mary Manning Centre for child abuse prevention and counselling.
Cotton writes that she hopes wait lists can be reduced and access to counselling is more immediate.
The other half will to a scholarship fund set up in memory of her daughters at Christ Church Cathedral School where Chloe was in grade one and where Aubrey would have started Kindergarten this September.
“There’s this place in me where your fingerprints still rest, your kisses still linger and your whispers softly echo, it’s the place where part of you will forever be a part of me.”
Cotton plans to take part in the BMO Vancouver Half Marathon on May 6, 2018.
You can find more details about the GoFundMe page here
Ben O'Hara
