Calgarians dressed in cobalt-coloured clothes gathered on the steps of City Hall to remember Parker, the 11-year-old boy who went missing in July and was confirmed dead last week.

The vigil began at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Calgary Municipal Plaza and included remarks from city officials, law enforcement, and community leaders, accompanied by choral performances by New West Music and Arts Society. 

Attendees filled the pavement donning his favourite colour, blue, with some even handing out ribbons and pins of a matching hue for others to wear. Despite residents not being given the option to speak, many wrote notes to the family at the provided tables. 

Parker, who was on the autism spectrum and non-verbal, left his specialized daycare facility in the northwest community of Thorncliffe on July 16. The extensive, multi-agency search concluded 13 days later when his remains were found in an underground stormwater pipe.

Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly, who represents the area where Parker lived and went missing, emceed the event. He explained that the vigil was intended not only to honour Parker’s life, but also to thank the community for the role they played.

“The search for Parker did not end the way that we all hoped that it would, but that does not change the fact that so many of you showed up when your community needed you,” he said. 

“Just as there was no right or wrong way to have been involved over the last few weeks, there’s no right or wrong way, tonight, to process this vigil.”

Event recognizes community’s support

Coun. Kelly spearheaded the event’s organization after Becky Wilmott, a resident and creator of the FindParkerYYC Facebook group, proposed hosting a vigil. She said that both the event and the group served a similar purpose: Giving community members a place to congregate. 

Wilmott had no relationship with the family before creating the group, which she said she decided to do after recognizing the general public’s interest in the search. 

“You see a lot of people online asking how they could help, and you’re like, ‘I don’t have a lot of skills, but I can create a Facebook group,’” she said. 

“I did not expect the sheer volume of people.”

On the first day that it opened, Wilmott said that 10,000 people joined. In the almost two weeks since, that number has capped out at nearly 30,000. 

It was one of the group’s members who found a piece of clothing that was later identified as Parker’s days into the search. Calgary Police Service Chief Katie McLellan said that it was this and other gestures that showed her the city coming together for a common cause. 

 “What struck me most was not the size of the search — it was the care, commitment, love, and compassion,” she said. 

“It was seeing people leave water bottles, Goldfish crackers, and other snacks outside, hoping Parker might come across them.”

Family announces memorial walk, location for donations

Mayor Jeromy Farkas reiterated that he was stunned by the effort residents put into the search and that, despite the disheartening result, the outcome has given him the impression that the city will continue to “look after one another” more deeply in the future. 

“What I do know is that Parker mattered — his life mattered, and it still matters, and his family isn’t alone, and neither are all of you,” he said. 

“Neither is this community, and as we’ve heard emphasized so many times over the past two weeks, we saw Calgary at its best.”

The vigil concluded with an audio message from Parker’s parents, who said that they appreciate the support of the community and welcomed them to attend an ‘adventure walk’ to honour him this weekend. There is no set place or time — simply walk and remember, they said. 

Parker’s parents agreed that his story will have an impact on Calgary, noting that they are proud that their son has left that legacy. 

“His story has done so much. It has raised awareness about how complex autism is. It really is a spectrum, and it’s going to bring about change in the system where there might have been weaknesses,” she said.

“To leave behind that kind of impact is amazing.”

Between Friends, an organization offering social and recreational programs for children and adults with varying developmental abilities, has been chosen by Parker’s parents as the location for donations in his memory. 

CEO Kimberly Presser said that Parker started participating in their Camp Bonaventure program in 2023. She said he made a lasting impression and that the donations will help ensure the next generation of attendees can share the experience. 

“Like hundreds of children before him, he came to camp to explore, to laugh, to build friendships, and to experience a place where he could simply be himself,” she said. 

“He reminded us that joy doesn’t have to look the same to be real, that friendship doesn’t always need words, and that every person deserves to be welcomed, accepted, and loved exactly as they are.”