“If there’s another life… I still want you as my daughter.” 💔
These were the words of the mother of 12-year-old Kylie May, one of the victims in the school tragedy in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
Along with Abel Mwansa Jr., she was remembered by the town as a gentle, trouble-free child.
Meanwhile, the suspect’s identity was revealed as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar.
But what haunts Kylie’s family most are the last three words she sent in a text message before everything went to chaos… 👇
“If there’s another life… I still want you as my daughter.” 💔
These were the words of the mother of 12-year-old Kylie May, one of the victims in the school tragedy in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
Along with Abel Mwansa Jr., she was remembered by the town as a gentle, trouble-free child.
Meanwhile, the suspect’s identity was revealed as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar.
But what haunts Kylie’s family most are the last three words she sent in a text message before everything went to chaos…
On February 10, 2026, the remote mountain town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia — home to just 2,400 people — was shattered by Canada’s deadliest school shooting in decades. In a span of horrific minutes, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar killed eight people, including her own mother and stepbrother at home, before heading to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and opening fire, claiming six young lives and that of an educator. She then died by self-inflicted gunshot.
The victims at the school included five children aged 12 and 13 — Kylie Smith (often referred to in family tributes as Kylie May Smith), Abel Mwansa Jr. (12), Zoey Benoit (12), Ticaria Lampert (12), and Ezekiel Schofield (13) — plus 39-year-old educational assistant Shannda Aviugana-Durand. At the suspect’s home, Jennifer Jacobs (39, also known as Jennifer Strang) and her 11-year-old son Emmett Jacobs were found deceased. Dozens more were injured, some critically.
Kylie Smith, 12, was described by her family as “the light in our family,” a gentle, kind soul with the biggest heart. She loved art, anime, figure skating, and dreamed of attending art school in Toronto. “She was growing into such an amazing young woman… she couldn’t hurt a fly,” her mother Desirae Pisarski shared in heartbreaking posts. Her aunt Shanon Dycke set up a GoFundMe to support the family, writing of the devastation: “Our beautiful Kylie May was confirmed to be one of the victims… We are completely devastated.”
Abel Mwansa Jr., also 12, was remembered for his radiant, genuine smile that lit up any room. His father, originally from Zambia and working in mining, posted tributes calling him a hero who brought joy to everyone. Abel loved science and aspired to become an engineer or scientist. “Whenever you saw him, you saw his smile,” his father told CBC News.
The two children — Kylie and Abel — embodied the innocence lost that day: trouble-free, loving, full of dreams in a tight-knit community where everyone knew each other.
Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, had a history of mental health interactions with police, including apprehensions for assessment. Born biologically male, she transitioned about six years earlier and had dropped out of the same school years prior. Authorities described her acting alone, using two firearms (none registered in her name). Investigations into her online activity revealed posts about mental health struggles, substance use, fascination with weapons, and exposure to violent, nihilistic content in dark internet corners. No clear motive has been publicly confirmed, though police continue to probe.
What lingers most painfully for Kylie’s family is the final text she sent amid the unfolding horror. As chaos erupted at the school, Kylie managed to message her loved ones with three simple, devastating words: “I love you.”
Those words — sent in what would be her last moments — have become a haunting echo. Her brother Ethan, who survived by hiding in a utility room, had texted “I love you” to his father earlier, then called to say he was safe but didn’t know where Kylie was. The family endured agonizing hours before confirmation came. Kylie’s father, Lance Younge, recounted the nightmare to media, urging others to “hold your kids tight.”
In vigils, statements, and online tributes, the community has focused on the victims — not the shooter. Families plead for attention on the lost children, the heroes (including students who performed CPR), and the healing ahead. “Rest in paradise, sweet girl,” Kylie’s family wrote. “Our family will never be the same without you.”
Tumbler Ridge — a quiet coal-mining town in the Rockies — now grapples with grief that feels endless. Flags fly at half-mast, candles burn at vigils, and fundraisers support grieving families. The nation mourns one of its rarest tragedies, with stricter gun laws offering little comfort against such loss.
For Kylie’s mother, the promise across lifetimes — “If there’s another life… I still want you as my daughter” — captures a love unbroken by violence. And those last three words from Kylie? They remind everyone: in the darkest chaos, love was her final message.
May they rest in peace. May the survivors find strength. And may such heartbreak never visit again.
