Around 60 community members came together Saturday evening for a candlelit vigil in honour of the late George Mavrakakis, co-owner of Pioneer Restaurant, who passed away tragically in a motor vehicle accident earlier this month.
The event followed the funeral service held at Swarchuk Funeral Home on Simcoe Road, which was live-streamed for Mavrakakis's family in Greece.
Organized by family friend Rhonda Emmel, the ceremony had family, friends and community members, including Mayor Rob Keffer and Deputy Mayor James Leduc, meet at the Bradford Community Centre before walking to the Pioneer Restaurant on Holland Street, where a moment of silence was observed, speeches were made and blue balloons were released into the sky.
"I still feel like it's a dream as does the family and close friends, (it's) still hard to wrap our heads around it," said Emmel. "It will get easier day by day I know, but there will always be that one piece that's missing from Bradford."
Emmel says the most memorable part of the event was walking by Mavrakakis' parents' house in downtown Bradford while they sat on the balcony, waving, as the crowd blew kisses and waved back.
"His family is very appreciative of all the support they have received through this whole tragic time," she said.
Mavrakakis owned the local restaurant with his brother Themos. Their father originally owned the restaurant in the 1980s, which, aside from a few years while living in Greece, has been owned and operated by the family ever since.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by friend Jenn Weatherbee to help cover the costs of funeral arrangements and also provide support for the family. A trust fund is also being set up for Mavrakakis's children, Mihail and Katerina.
The vigil can be viewed on the community Facebook page.
There are also plans in the works for a memorial bench, honouring Mavrakakis to be placed on Holland Court, near the parkette.
