Liam Wood Cini remembered as 'the little therapist' of his friends after fatal car crash
The 17-year-old from the west end died from injuries sustained in a July 1 crash on Old Carp Road; his family is building his legacy through fundraising and memorials.
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Allison Wood is learning how deeply her 17-year-old son touched the lives of so many people. Liam Wood Cini died from injuries sustained in a crash on Old Carp Road, a winding path connecting rural Carp with Kanata's South March neighbourhood, on Canada Day around 9:36 p.m. He was driving two friends when the vehicle left the roadway and hit a tree, leaving him with life-threatening injuries. One friend suffered serious injuries; the other had minor injuries.
Liam was in a coma for several days at CHEO before his injuries proved too severe to overcome. He died as a rainbow spread across the capital and fireworks exploded over the city after a torrential rainstorm that flooded basements and cancelled celebrations.
"If there's such a thing as a beautiful death, he had one," Wood said, describing the outpouring of support — prayers, vigils, and love sent from all over the city.
Liam was known as the little therapist of his friends and excelled in shop class since Grade 9. He was a mechanic at heart and adored his teacher and the classroom atmosphere, where friends would gather at lunch. His family has launched a GoFundMe and is working to create lasting memorials: a bench where his friends can sit and talk, and a bursary at his high school so that each year at graduation, his name is said out loud and his story is told. They hope to donate equipment to his shop program in his honour.
