Relative of Cooper Nemeth raises funds for family of slain teen

A relative from17-year-old Cooper Nemeth's extended family says sheis 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 theylike 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.

Chrapchynskihashasstarted a GoFundMe campaign for Nemeth.The teen's family wantsto start a trust or donate to charity in Cooper's name,as a way of givingback to the community that never gave up searchingfor 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.JeffBrowaty said he was moved by thevolunteer effort to find Nemeth, adding itshowedhowstrongthe 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," saidBrowaty. The North Kildonan councillorasked 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, DianaPosthumus,said support will be available tostudents, parents and staff to help them cope withNemeth'sdeath.

"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," Posthumussaid.

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," saidAnderson.

"[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 Centreon Monday at 6 p.m. to help the communitysupport one another.While the search forNemethwas still on, Gatewayserved 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 withNemeth'sdeath. He was charged withsecond-degree murder andappears in court on Monday.