Airdronians are rallying behind a local family after they lost a loved one. Dwayne Kirby, a beloved father and partner passed away suddenly while on vacation in Mexico.
Chris Glass, a family friend spoke to DiscoverAirdrie about the circumstances the family is now facing and how tragic it truly is.
"They (Dwayne, his partner Amanda and daughter Avery) had finally planned a family trip to Puerto Vallarta, unfortunately, while they were there, Dwayne passed away. They've had to navigate coming home and trying to figure out how to start that new chapter of their life and it's incredibly tragic."
Amanda is a local self-proposed, mom of a miracle, a Down Syndrome advocate, and a wellness guru who documents her life as a parent raising 4-year-old daughter Avery who has Down Syndrome.
A gofundme has been created for the family to help support Amanda and Avery as they move forward. As of yesterday, over $40,000 was raised for them with over 380 donations.
Glass, who got to know the family when their kids attended the same daycare class, shared some insight about Dwayne and who he was in the community.
"The first time I met Dwayne, we were both at pickup getting our daughters, you can tell how much a parent loves their kid during those pickups because I saw Dwayne's face lighting up and Avery's face light up when she ran to him. Immediately you can see the bond they had."
He hopes that if Airdronians are able, they can help support this family in a time of need.
"Even though money is tight for many people, this is a good way to spend a couple of dollars."
The Airdrie Dads Facebook group is currently holding an auction. Over 30 items have been donated, with around $9700 going towards the family.
"Everybody in the community knew them because they were a part of our extended families."
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