By ,
Published June 05, 2017
The Canadian woman killed during the London terror attacks was struck by the van driven by terrorists on London Bridge and died in her fiance's arms, her fiance's siblings said Monday.
Christine Archibald, a 30-year-old social worker from Calgary, Alberta had recently moved to the Netherlands to be with her fiance Tyler Ferguson, his sister Cassie Ferguson Rowe told the Associated Press. The couple was engaged three months ago.
Ferguson Rowe told the AP her brother was walking few steps ahead of his fiancee on the bridge when the attacks began, and then held her as she died.
"Last night in London my baby brother lost the love of his life on the London bridge. In a split second his entire life was ripped away from him," Ferguson Rowe said in a Facebook post.
Originally from Castlegar, British Columbia, Archibald had later lived in Calgary, where she worked at a homeless shelter before moving to Europe to be with Ferguson.
Her family in Castlegar said in a statement that Archibald "would have had no understanding of the callous cruelty that caused her death."
"She had room in her heart for everyone and believed strongly that every person was to be valued and respected," the family statement said.
Kathy Christiansen, executive director of Alpha House in Calgary, told the AP that Archibald had worked at the shelter for homeless people addicted to drugs and alcohol until recently.
In a statement posted Sunday on Facebook, the shelter said its employees were “devastated” by the news.
“Chrissy was a bright light to many, and her generosity, kind spirit and huge heart for her work in responding to issues of addictions and homelessness at the centre inspired us all,” the statement said.
Peter Choate, an assistant professor in social work at Mount Royal University, told CTV News he knew Archibald from her time there as a student, and that he couldn't image what her family is experiencing right now.
“You see a bright light… and then that light’s gone,” Choate told CTV News. “That’s a tough, tough story. As tough as it is for us, it’s immeasurably tough for her fiancé. I can’t imagine what that’s like to have your fiancé die in your hands.”
The Archibald family asked that people honor her memory by making the community a better place.
"Volunteer your time and labor or donate to a homeless shelter," the family said in a statement. "Tell them Chrissy sent you."
The hashtag #Chrissysentme was being used on Twitter to express sadness for the family's loss. Inspired by the call for meaningful action, some people pledged to make donations to shelters, soup kitchens and other community groups.
Ferguson Rowe told the AP she hoped the use of the hashtag would "urge people to not let her death be in vain, to do good in their community."
"It's what she would have wanted," Ferguson Rowe said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/london-terror-attack-canadian-victim-died-in-her-fiances-arms