Memorial service and funeral scheduled for Ukrainian girl killed in hit-and-run

The memorial service and funeral for seven-year-old Mariia Legenkovska is set for this week at the Saint-Sophie Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral.

The young Ukrainian girl arrived in Montreal two months ago after fleeing her home country after the Russian invasion. She was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene on Dec. 13 while walking to school with her brother and sister. She died of her injuries in the hospital later in the day.

Michael Shwec is on the executive committee for the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and has been speaking to the family throughout.

"The family's under shock," he said. "It's a disbelief that this could actually happen."

The girl's father, Andreii Legenkovska, serves in Ukraine's Territorial Defence Forces. A cathedral official confirmed that he arrived in Montreal Sunday and will be at the services along with Mariia's mother Galyna.

The UCC helped reunite the family in Montreal.

"The father had to go through some paperwork to be allowed to leave; that went very smoothly," said Shwec. "People were aware that it's humanitarian and a very specific need and they wanted to help make this happen."

The memorial service will take place Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m., with the funeral to follow on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. 

Shwec explained that in the Ukrainian tradition, there is a prayer service the night before the burial.

"We encourage anyone who wants to come pay their respects that that is where it's going to happen," he said. "The community will have an opportunity to pray for Mariia's soul and for the family."

COMMUNITY IN MOURNING

Shwec said the tragedy has deeply affected the entire Ukrainian community that has worked to help those fleeing the war adapt to a new city. The Legenkovska family made a tough decision in the midst of violence to try and protect their young family only to be hit with a completely unexpected trauma.

"The Ukrainian community is in shock also, and the Ukrainian community is in mourning," he said. "February 24th changed the world, not just for Ukrainians, but for everybody. This is specifically a tragedy that is a direct result of the Russian invasion in Ukraine where a father and mother make a decision to send mother and children to a new land to protect against the bombs that are flying and the Ukrainian diaspora here mobilized very quickly to help those people here integrate and have some sense of normalcy."

An ongoing GoFundMe campaign to assist the girl's family that has raised more than $30,000.

Juan Manuel Becerra Garcia, 45, was charged in connection with the hit-and-run and has been ordered to stay at his address on the South Shore, not to communicate with the girl's family, and not to drive.