Five days after she was tragically killed while demonstrating against a white supremacist rally, a memorial service is being held for 32-year-old Heather Heyer.
The service started at 11 a.m. Eastern and can be watched live in the video at the top of the page.
Prior to the service, President Donald Trump tweeted his well wishes for Heyer and her family, saying she was a “beautiful and incredible” woman that “will be long remembered by all.”
Memorial service today for beautiful and incredible Heather Heyer, a truly special young woman. She will be long remembered by all!
Heyer was killed Saturday when a vehicle allegedly driven by James Alex Fields Jr. stormed into a counter protest and hit dozens of demonstrators. Nineteen others were injured as a result, and Fields was arrested and charged by police.
The incident has cause widespread outrage across the nation as people look for answers to the senseless act, which was spurred by increased tensions because of the white nationalists gathering in the Virginia city. Those demonstrators were there protesting the potential removal of a Confederate statue in a local park.
Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro, told NBC News that her daughter was at the demonstration with friends and was hit by the car as she was trying to cross the street.
“She was plowed down by a young man who was intent on spreading hate and thought hate would fix the world,” Bro told the news outlet. “And hate does not fix the world.”
Bro spoke to the Huffington Post one day after her daughter’s death. She told the news outlet that Heyer was at the counter protest to try and “bring an end to injustice.” She tearfully added that her daughter’s goal was always to stop hatred in the world.
“Heather was not about hate, Heather was about stopping Hatred,” she said to the outlet. “Heather was about bringing an end to injustice. I don’t want her death to be a focus for more hatred, I want her death to be a rallying cry for justice and equality and fairness and compassion.”
Bro also appeared on CNN with Anderson Cooper and tearfully remembered her daughter.
Following Heyer’s death, a friend set up a GoFundMe page to support her family in their time of grieving. The campaign raised over $100,000 in less than 12 hours, and closed with $224,870 total donations.
“I have spoken with Heather’s mother as well as other family members,” campaign organizer Felicia Venita Correa wrote. “We are setting up the funds to be released to whomever they choose to be in charge of her estate. I thank you all for helping to decrease their stress level and for helping us honor Heather.”
