DIGBY, N.S. – The purple light inside Digby’s lighthouse will stay lit and keep vigil with Yarmouth as it copes with the loss of a young girl killed in a tragic accident.
MaCali Cormier, 4, died after falling under a parade float at the annual Parade of Lights in Yarmouth – an incident that has shocked and devastated the town.
Digby Mayor Ben Cleveland was reading news coverage of the event and noted one story that stated the young girl’s favourite colour was purple – the same colour as the current light bulb inside Digby’s lighthouse.
Cleveland says he knew immediately what he had to do and called Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood about keeping the light lit for the little girl. Mood answered yes – keep it lit.
“It really touches our hearts that other towns are sharing in our grief by doing such things as this,” says Mood.
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The lighthouse’s purple bulb was installed earlier this month in connection with the Tri-County Women’s Centre’s month-long recognition of violence against women.
Cleveland says keeping it lit for MaCali is “one of those little things we can do” to show that people in Digby – about 100 kilometres from Yarmouth – are holding Yarmouth in their hearts following the harrowing event.
He called Mood to relay this, and says she thanked him very much for the gesture.
“I just said to her that this is a tragic event and is effecting so many people. I told her about the purple light we had lit, and that we’re going to keep that lit a little while longer for MaCali,” he says.
Mood says Yarmouth is “obviously still grieving, still mourning the loss” of the youngster, but recognizes the “beauty of this community come together to support each other.”
The Yarmouth South Tree Lighting at the South End Playground on Dec. 3 will also honour MaCali through people bringing purple ornaments to place on the tree in Cormier’s memory.
Mood says her town will never be the same.
“We will never completely heal from this. Especially the family, but we are all changed by this tragedy – but we are doing the best we can to pull together on all fronts,” says Mood.
