“A child may hold your hand for a moment, but they hold your heart forever.”
Those words, delivered in a eulogy, found their way into the hearts of more than 500 people gathered at the Lutheran Church of the Cross yesterday to remember 17-year-old Brittney McInnes, who was found dead in her family’s Canyon Meadows home last week.
McInnes’ stepfather Bradley Rietze faces first-degree murder charges in relation to her death.
“She was my sister and my best friend, and she will be dearly missed by everyone’s lives she has touched,” younger sister Katie McInnes told the emotional crowd.
“We have to keep reminding ourselves that she is one of God’s angels now, and God is now taking care of her. May she rest in peace. I love you.”
Older brother Blain McInnes also spoke fondly of his sister and how her everlasting smiles could light up the room.
“There is so much I will miss about my sister, but I will never forget anything about her. She will be close to my heart forever,” he said.
With only Pastor William Wiegert touching upon how her life was tragically snuffed out by evil and asking mourners not to seek revenge, perhaps more telling of McInnes’ death was the song Concrete Angel by Martina McBride, which caused many to well up with tears:
“Somebody cries in the middle of the night.
“The neighbours hear, but they turn out the light.
“A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate.
“When morning comes it will be too late.”
Gary Rietze also spoke at the eulogy on behalf of the Rietze family and said her loss is a tragic one for all families involved, her friends and classmates.
“It’s incredible the amount of lives she touched during her short time on Earth,” he said.
