Crystal Diljohn carries flowers while being helped into a car following the funeral service for her 14-year-old daughter Amaria Diljohn at the Malvern Christian Assembly in Toronto on Saturday, January 3, 2015. A TTC bus fatally struck the 14-year-old last week and the driver failed to stay at the scene.Darren Calabrese/The Globe and Mail
Mourners gathered at a Scarborough church on Saturday afternoon to say their final goodbyes to Amaria Diljohn, a 14-year-old girl who was hit and killed by a TTC bus last month.
Amaria, known to family and friends as "MoMo," was run over after getting off a bus at Neilson Road and Finch Avenue on her way home from school Dec. 19.
The 27-year-old TTC bus driver who struck Diljohn did not remain at the scene, but was later questioned. The police are continuing to investigate the incident and no charges have been laid at this time.
Roughly 500 friends, family, and members of the public packed the Malvern Christian Assembly to pay their respects.
Amaria lay in an open casket as people said their goodbyes, stroking her hair and seeing her face for the last time.
Linda Luztono, a Canadian recording artist and songwriter from Toronto, dedicated a song to Amaria.
"I didn't know her personally," she said. "But I recall visiting a class of eighth-graders…and all Amaria wanted to do was take a photo with me."
Her teachers and principal from Woburn Collegiate Institute remembered a teenager who was taken from the world too soon.
Sharing the speech, the principal and one of her teachers recalled Amaria as a polite and wonderful kid.
"She brought laughter and smiles to each of our classes," said one of her teachers. "We won't forget her wit, sarcasm…and beautiful singing voice."
Even though Amaria was only able to attend one semester of high school, it was clear that she touched the people she was around in a short amount of time.
"We will miss you. Our Woburn community will never be the same," said principal Karen Hume.
Her grandmothers, Denise Thomson and Karen Williams remembered her as a baby.
"She was our little angel and a perfect baby in every way," they said in her eulogy.
Trustee David Smith for Ward 19, Scarborough Centre, said he didn't know Amaria very well, but he's heard and read a lot.
He said the grief he felt during the ceremony consumed his entire body.
"I have kids myself," he said. "I can't imagine what this family is going through."
Visitors describing themselves as close friends of the family said Amaria "had a heart of gold."
Brent Downey, a cousin of the family close to the grandparents, said "she was brought up really well. I remember visiting when she died and being told stories about how she was inseparable with her grandfather…she would even sleep on his bed."
Shortly after the incident, the TTC offered to contribute $20,000 towards Amaria's funeral costs, but it is unclear if the family accepted the offer.
TTC spokesman Mike DeToma said it appears the agency hasn't heard from the family yet.
"It could be something that maybe [they do] after the fact. But up to this point we don't believe we've heard from the family," said DeToma.
According to a Facebook page created by a relative in memory of Amaria, an account was opened on Dec. 22 for anyone who would like to donate and help cover the funeral costs. The donations to her trust fund accumulated to $14,600 by the end of December.
Amaria was a normal 14-year-old who loved life and talked about the dreams she had for her sixteenth birthday, her grandmothers recalled. What her cake would be like, who would perform, and would Beyoncé come sing?
"If only those dreams could be realized," one said.