Hundreds of bikers pay tribute to Hamilton kids who died in off-road tragedy
Emilia and Noah Freire did not take their last ride alone.
Hundreds of motorcycles rode behind the hearses bearing the bodies of the Hamilton children - who were killed in an off-road all-terrain vehicle accident on Oct. 8 - to their final resting place on Saturday.
We're here out of respect for the children and the family," said Dale Eldridge of Freelton, who answered an open call on social media for riders to pay tribute to eight-year-old Emilia and her six-year-old brother, Noah.
Eldridge said he does not know the family personally but wanted to join the biker community in sharing in their grief.
Maybelle Sousa was also among the hundreds of riders who followed the procession from the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King to Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Burlington.
We came out because we have children, and it's devastating what can happen to anybody in the blink of an eye," said Sousa, who said she works with the children's mother, Ashley Braga-Freire, and is friends with their grandmother.
Eldridge and Sousa were not surprised to see such a large turnout of bikers to honour Emilia and Noah, whose father, David Freire, passed on his love of motorcycles to his kids.
People showed up from the heart and (to show) respect," Eldridge said.
If this is their last request, I'm pretty sure you can stop what you're doing and give them their last request," Sousa added.
The children died in hospital late on Oct. 8 after the off-road vehicle they were riding with their father turned over and submerged into a pond on a rural property off Miles Road.
David Freire ran for help, and he and a neighbour tried to rescue the children. Dozens of first responders also rushed to the scene.
These are incredibly difficult times for the family and having the support of their community certainly has helped lift their spirits in some way," Nora Holmes, the co-organizer of Saturday's biker procession, said in a Facebook post calling for riders to join in this symbolic send off to these two young children who have left us far too soon."
Mourners entered the church Saturday morning under a cloudy, rain-streaked sky, but they emerged to brilliant sunshine and the revving of motorcycle engines.
As people consoled each other on the church steps, someone released what appeared to be two white doves near the basilica doors.
Bikes spilled out of the church lot and nearby side streets to follow the funeral procession, which had a police escort. There were so many bikes that it took the group three minutes to pass a given point along the highway.
The motorcycle procession was not the only tribute to Emilia and Noah in the city over the weekend.
Joslin's Mixed Martial Arts in Hamilton held a pair of workshops in the children's memory on Sunday. Admission was by donation, with all proceeds going to the family.
Both of the children had recently begun training with us at Joslin's and were hardworking, kind, funny, enthusiastic and a pleasure to teach," Joslin's said in a social media post.
We will miss them greatly."
When reached by The Spectator on Friday, Hamilton police had no public update to share about the ongoing investigation into the accident.
An online fundraiser launched to cover the funeral costs has raised more than $91,000.
With files from Teviah Moro
J.P. Antonacci's reporting on Haldimand and Norfolk is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. jpantonacci@thespec.com