Relative of Cooper Nemeth raises funds for family of slain teen

A relative from 17-year-old Cooper Nemeth's extended family says she is raising money for the slain teen's parents to help them honour their son's memory.

"The family is very giving, they donate all the time to charity. It's something they like to do and something they'd like to do for Cooper," Julia Chrapchynski said.

"Everybody's giving their condolences … and we can't say 'thank you' enough for all the support and love that we've had since Cooper's been gone."

After a weeklong search, with hundreds of volunteers going door-to-door across the city, the search for the teenager was called off early Sunday morning.

The River East Collegiate student's remains were discovered by police on Saturday in the back lane of a home on Bayne Crescent.

Chrapchynski has has started a GoFundMe campaign for Nemeth. The teen's family wants to start a trust or donate to charity in Cooper's name, as a way of giving back to the community that never gave up searching for him, she said.

"They're just amazing people, very, very kind-hearted people," she said. "You can never go wrong with them. No matter what — good, bad or ugly — they'll always stand by your side and help you out."

Minute of silence

Coun. Jeff Browaty said he was moved by the volunteer effort to find Nemeth, adding it showed how strong the community is when it comes together.

"People were, all hours of the day, at Gateway Rec. Centre and then out in the community, searching high and low," he said.

"A lot of people knew him, a lot of people went to River East Collegiate. We're all Kodiaks.... It all was very hard," said Browaty. The North Kildonan councillor asked for a moment of silence for the teen at city hall Monday.

• Nicholas Bell-Wright, 22, arrested in Cooper Nemeth death
• Cooper Nemeth's friends mourn death of Winnipeg teen

His coach, Barry Rochelle, said the Marauders have named Nemeth honorary captain.

"As team we had a meeting and we wanted to do something to honour Cooper and show our respect to the family in this tough situation," he said.

"We're playing for Cooper right now and that's what we're doing."

Nemeth's teammates are devastated by his death, said Rochelle.

• Search for Cooper Nemeth continues as hockey team 'hit hard' by disappearance

"Cooper's there with us every day, every shift there, every period, so every game," he said.

The principal of River East Collegiate, Diana Posthumus, said support will be available to students, parents and staff to help them cope with Nemeth's death.

"We do have a crisis response team that is internal to the school, we have counsellors, resource teachers, administrators, social workers and psychologists from division that service school and 10-12 support staff available," Posthumus ​said.

Paul Anderson, a guidance counsellor with River East, said Nemeth was a well-liked student and will be missed by many.

"He had so many different friends and so many different social groups," said Anderson.

"[Nemeth] was a prototypical boy — he was mischievous, he had a lot of fun with a lot of different people, he was a positive influence on a lot of kids."

A smudge ceremony and traditional drum circle will take place at Gateway Recreation Centre on Monday at 6 p.m. to help the community support one another. While the search for Nemeth was still on, Gateway served as a headquarters for volunteers and family.

The recreation centre is also offering grief support to students, a Kodiak athletics tweet said on Sunday.

Nicholas Bell-Wright, 22, was arrested in connection with Nemeth's death. He was charged with second-degree murder and appears in court on Monday.