Joint funeral held for 2 teens killed in crash near London, Ont., that left 5 dead

Sammy Hudes · CBC News

· Posted: May 31, 2025 4:45 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Two teens killed successful a clang adjacent London, Ont., conscionable implicit a week agone were remembered connected Saturday for their contagious smiles that "could airy up perfectly everything."

Hundreds attended the associated ceremonial work for Olivia Rourke, 17, and Danica Baker, 16, astatine the Walkerton Community Centre, on with astir 1,000 who tuned successful to a livestream.

The brace were killed on with 2 different girls, Rowan McLeod and Kaydance Ford, and their 33-year-old coach, Matt Eckert, who was a teacher astatine Walkerton District Community School. All 5 died when their SUV collided with different SUV and a transport motortruck connected May 23 portion they were returning from a softball tourney successful the area.

A fewer household members and friends of some Rourke and Baker shared memories of the 2 teens during Saturday's work arsenic dozens much classmates paid tribute wearing their diversion uniforms.

The girls were described arsenic joyful teammates who would sing "at the apical of their lungs" and creation "without a care."

As 1 person enactment it, adjacent aft a infinitesimal of soundlessness for the duo: "Silence wasn't truly their thing."

WATCH | Flowers were left to retrieve those who died:

Rourke was "the spunkiest, sassiest and coolest small girl," her relative Rae said successful a eulogy, adding she was "truly a agleam airy successful our family."

Others praised her resolve. Friends said Rourke shone successful gymnastics and loved different sports, too, adjacent those she wasn't the champion at. She tried retired for each squad and had convinced herself that her sheer determination was going to triumph her jock of the year.

Rourke besides had a beingness on the signifier and loved to enactment retired a scene.

Her "witty jokes, affirmative vigor and sassy remarks could bring a grin to anyone's face," Rae said.

"What hurts the astir is that we had truthful galore plans that are present near unfinished," her relative said.

"We were going to circuit universities successful the fall, question the world and rise 2 small girls unneurotic that would beryllium conscionable similar us. As we looked guardant to these large moments successful life, I ne'er thought that Olivia wouldn't beryllium experiencing them with me."

Baker's relative Aislyn said she near a people connected everyone she met done her "infectious smile, her goofy laughter and her affirmative and thoughtful presence."

Remembered arsenic a talented soft subordinate and quiescent leader, she was a perfectionist and "vibrant young soul" who enjoyed expressing herself done her hair, makeup, nails and fashion.

Baker was adventurous and autarkic — she enjoyed going to campy from a young property and wasn't acrophobic to spell alone. She loved each sports but recovered her passionateness connected the volleyball court.

"Not lone did Danica person a gorgeous face, but a gorgeous soul, too," Aislyn said.

"Danica was conscionable starting to blossom into this astonishing autarkic and astir caring person."

The Walkerton community, location to about 4,500 residents, continues to mourn the tragedy. Last weekend, much than 1,000 radical gathered extracurricular the girls' schoolhouse to amusement enactment during a vigil.

WATCH | Hundreds mourn victims of fatal crash:

Dozens of enactment workers had a beingness astatine the schoolhouse this week arsenic students and unit grieve. Bluewater District School Board acquisition manager Lori Wilder said a memorial array had besides been acceptable up wrong the schoolhouse for the 5 victims.

Chris Peabody, the politician of Brockton, the municipality encompassing Walkerton, said the "incomprehensible tragedy" has near the municipality devastated.

Prime Minister Mark Carney besides shared his condolences connected societal media a fewer days aft the incident, saying the 5 deaths are heartbreaking.

"This is an unimaginable nonaccomplishment — 1 that nary family, nary classmate, nary schoolhouse should ever person to endure. Canadians are holding the Walkerton assemblage successful our hearts," Carney wrote connected X.