Amanda Godfrey knows what it’s like to suffer tragedy and loss and wants to offer her help to Tassis Vix’s daughter whenever she needs it.
Godfrey is a child grief counsellor who does individual and group counselling and wants to help Vix’s 10-year-old daughter get through a tough time in her life by offering that same help for free, any time the daughter decides. She’s offered that help to the girl’s aunt after hearing about the accident and driving past the memorial on Lougheed Highway.
“It’s the least we can do to help the family,” said Godfrey. There’s no time limit as to when the daughter decides to use those services.
Vix, 32, was killed April 12 while trying to cross the Lougheed Highway at 218th Street at about 1o p.m. Ridge Meadows RCMP have found a vehicle, a white, 2017 Honda Civic, they think was involved but have yet to make any arrests or lay charges.
Godfrey though says it’s usually better for some time to pass before someone takes grief counselling so that they’re able to benefit from a group of kids that have been through the same thing.
“The groups are usually best … several months … (after) you start the grieving process because you’re not going be able to sit in a group and talk about your loss and hear about other people’s losses if you haven’t started your own.”
People process grief in different ways over different timelines so there’s no set schedule for recovery. She advises parents of kids going through the same thing to just listen to their child says and be there to support them.
Godfrey is also holding a bake sale to raise money for the survivors. That bake sale takes place this Sunday, at 11 a.m. at 24344 – 102A Ave. Friends and neighbours are pitching in and baking up a storm for the cause.
That’s already drawn a lot of response online, she said.
Vix worked as a veterinarian assistant at Haney Animal Hospital since it opened 15 years ago. Dr. Bhupinder Johar said Vix loved animals and that she would often help clients find services if they had difficulty with vet expenses and that he was shocked and heart-broken to hear of her passing.
A Gofundme campaign has also started and currently sits at $11,960, with a goal of $20,000.
“Tassis was a loving mother, daughter, grand-daughter, great-grand-daughter, sister, niece, cousin, friend, and long-time employee and savior to the animals at Haney Animal Hospital in Maple Ridge,” said the Gofundme page.
“Tassis gave her entire heart and soul to her daughter and to her clients at work, often spending lots of time calling out to seek funding for those who couldn’t afford treatment for their beloved pets.”
Sgt. Brenda Gresiuk said Friday there are no updates planned for the investigation, adding there’s no set time for such cases as police pore over evidence. “It is a time-consuming process,” she said.
Police however are still looking for witnesses who may have seen a 2017 white Honda Civic with damage to the front end of the vehicle at about that time, on the night of the collision.