At 8:20 in the morning, Abel Mwansa Jr. left home for school just like any other day. Before walking out the door, he told his mother, Bwalya Chisanga, “Tell Dad to come and pick me up at church when he comes back from work at 4:30.” Those were the last words she heard from her 12-year-old son.
Now, she keeps writing on Facebook, trying to understand a pain that feels impossible to carry. In one post, she wrote, “This is yesterday morning… my son went to school at 8:20.” In another, her heartbreak poured out: “Abel, Abel, wake up, time to go to school.” And she imagined his soft reply, “Okay, Mom.” Then she asked, “Am I dreaming?” Over and over, she wrote the same words — “Am I dreaming?” — as if hoping someone would wake her from this nightmare.
Abel lost his life on Tuesday at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. He was only 12 years old. He was one of five students who passed away that day. A female teacher also lost her life. Before the tragedy reached the school, the 18-year-old former student responsible, Jesse Van Rootsleaar, had already taken the lives of his own mother and stepbrother at their home. Authorities later confirmed that he also took his own life after the incident at the school.
But to his mother, Abel was not just one of the names in a tragic story. He was her son. Her little boy who said goodbye at 8:20.
Those who knew him say he was full of life. Tyler Curry, who helped coach the under-13 team with the Tumbler Ridge Soccer Association, remembered Abel as a strong and determined player. He gave everything he had on the field. He brought power and energy to the team. When others felt unsure, Abel would speak up and guide his teammates. He was only 12, but he played with heart beyond his years.
VIDEO BELOW:
@bbcnews A student at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School tells CBC he and his classmates “got tables and barricaded the doors” during the shooting which killed nine people. #Canada #BritishColumbia #School #TumblerRidge #BreakingNews #BBCNews
