‘My forever baby’: Mom shares memories of 12-year-old Tumbler Ridge shooting victim

The devastated mother of Ticaria Lampert shared memories of her daughter Thursday, remembering her as a “strong voice that was silenced” in this week’s horrific mass shooting in northern B.C.

Sarah Lampert was overcome with emotion while speaking to reporters gathered in the small community of Tumbler Ridge, where her daughter was one of the 12-year-old children killed at school Tuesday.

Ticaria—or “Tiki,” as her family nicknamed her—was strong-willed, fearless and outspoken, her mother said.

But her favourite thing was making people laugh with her “Santa’s sack of every bad dad joke you could think of,” Lampert added.

“She just wanted to bring her sunshine to everyone,” Lampert said. “She was everything, especially to me.”

• Related: What we know about the victims of the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge

The 12-year-old left behind seven siblings, and could fit in with the oldest and youngest alike, her mother said.

Lampert said her daughter didn’t have plans for her future yet because she was still happy living in the moment as an innocent, carefree kid.

“She was in no hurry to grow up,” an emotional Lampert said. “She is my forever baby.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to support the family, and had raised more than $18,000 by Thursday evening.

Lampert said she and her surviving children are just beginning to grapple with how they will continue their lives without Ticaria around.

“Our family is shattered,” she said. “To accept that my daughter is gone is impossible.”

Earlier on Thursday, the RCMP released the names of all eight victims killed in this week’s shooting—most of whom were between the ages of 11 and 13.

Two of the deceased were family members of the suspect. Apart from them, the RCMP has said it’s too early to comment on what connection, if any, the suspect may have had with the victims.