Jun Lin's mother has 'sympathy' for alleged killer
In a written eulogy for her son, Jun Lin, Zhigui Du said she has developed sympathy for his alleged killer, Luka Rocco Magnotta, and will set up a foundation to help troubled youth.
Lin, 33, was killed and dismembered two months ago.
His mother did not attend a public funeral service held Thursday morning in Montreal and later told reporters at a news conference that she felt it would have been too hard for her to handle. But she wrote a eulogy for her only son.
"I have been waiting for this day to come, because my son can finally rest in peace in this land that he loves," she wrote.
She also writes about why she decided to establish a foundation in her son's name to help troubled youth in Montreal.
"We have received a lot of help and care from the people here and we want to return something back to this society, to help the youth in need, to help them find their way back to a loving home."
She describes thinking of her son's alleged killer as the "devil" at first, until she learned that he had a difficult childhood.
"A troubled young person may bring negative impact to the society later on when they grow up. If we can show our care for them and offer them help when it's needed, I think we will be able to sustain a better society with love and harmony."
She finished her eulogy with a message to her son.
"Jun Lin, I believe you will be happy with my decision. Mommy will stay strong. Rest in peace, my son. Goodbye."
Friends and members of the public attended the service at Montreal's Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery at 9 a.m. ET. Lin's family released a statement expressing their grief and explaining their decision to bury their son's ashes in Montreal.
"We believe that Jun, carrying with him all the blessing from the society, can now rest in peace in his favourite city. The city he had chosen; Montreal."
According to the Côte-des-Neiges funeral home, Lin's body was cremated on July 11. His family was unsure whether to bring the ashes back to China, but opted to bury them in Montreal, where Lin had made a life for himself.
The funeral home and cemetery donated their services to the Lin family.
The graveside burial was held for friends and family foremost, but members of the public who wished to attend were welcome to pay their respects.
Police say Lin was killed in late May. His hands and feet were mailed to political parties in Ottawa and Vancouver schools, and his dismembered torso was found May 29 stuffed in a suitcase dumped in the trash outside a Montreal apartment building.
Lin studied computer science at Concordia University, which is helping raise funds for his family and is setting up an award in his memory.
His mother spoke about her slain son at a memorial at the Montreal Chinese Alliance Church in Hampstead last weekend.
"He was taken so fast," she said in Mandarin. "When a child dies, a parent's heart dies too."
Lin's parents recently told CBC's Mark Kelley that they want to stay in Canada for the trial of Luka Rocco Magnotta, accused of killing their son.
"What a disaster and huge pain for our family," his mother said.
In a lengthy interview, they told Kelley that they are struggling to come to terms with their son's violent death and are anxious about Magnotta's trial.
Magnotta was arrested June 4 in Berlin after an international manhunt. He was extradited to Montreal on June 18 and charged with first-degree murder the next day.
Magnotta has pleaded not guilty. His preliminary hearing is set to begin in March 2013.
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Lin, 33, was killed and dismembered two months ago.
His mother did not attend a public funeral service held Thursday morning in Montreal and later told reporters at a news conference that she felt it would have been too hard for her to handle. But she wrote a eulogy for her only son.
"I have been waiting for this day to come, because my son can finally rest in peace in this land that he loves," she wrote.
She also writes about why she decided to establish a foundation in her son's name to help troubled youth in Montreal.
"We have received a lot of help and care from the people here and we want to return something back to this society, to help the youth in need, to help them find their way back to a loving home."
She describes thinking of her son's alleged killer as the "devil" at first, until she learned that he had a difficult childhood.
"A troubled young person may bring negative impact to the society later on when they grow up. If we can show our care for them and offer them help when it's needed, I think we will be able to sustain a better society with love and harmony."
She finished her eulogy with a message to her son.
"Jun Lin, I believe you will be happy with my decision. Mommy will stay strong. Rest in peace, my son. Goodbye."
Friends and members of the public attended the service at Montreal's Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery at 9 a.m. ET. Lin's family released a statement expressing their grief and explaining their decision to bury their son's ashes in Montreal.
"We believe that Jun, carrying with him all the blessing from the society, can now rest in peace in his favourite city. The city he had chosen; Montreal."
According to the Côte-des-Neiges funeral home, Lin's body was cremated on July 11. His family was unsure whether to bring the ashes back to China, but opted to bury them in Montreal, where Lin had made a life for himself.
The funeral home and cemetery donated their services to the Lin family.
The graveside burial was held for friends and family foremost, but members of the public who wished to attend were welcome to pay their respects.
Police say Lin was killed in late May. His hands and feet were mailed to political parties in Ottawa and Vancouver schools, and his dismembered torso was found May 29 stuffed in a suitcase dumped in the trash outside a Montreal apartment building.
Lin studied computer science at Concordia University, which is helping raise funds for his family and is setting up an award in his memory.
His mother spoke about her slain son at a memorial at the Montreal Chinese Alliance Church in Hampstead last weekend.
"He was taken so fast," she said in Mandarin. "When a child dies, a parent's heart dies too."
Lin's parents recently told CBC's Mark Kelley that they want to stay in Canada for the trial of Luka Rocco Magnotta, accused of killing their son.
"What a disaster and huge pain for our family," his mother said.
In a lengthy interview, they told Kelley that they are struggling to come to terms with their son's violent death and are anxious about Magnotta's trial.
Magnotta was arrested June 4 in Berlin after an international manhunt. He was extradited to Montreal on June 18 and charged with first-degree murder the next day.
Magnotta has pleaded not guilty. His preliminary hearing is set to begin in March 2013.
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