The family and friends of Victoria Stafford undertook the tough job of explaining just how much the eight-year-old girl meant to them, at a memorial service in Woodstock, Ont., on Saturday afternoon.
Her parents, Tara McDonald and Rodney Stafford, spoke to the mourners at Calvary Church, which was packed for the start of the 1 p.m. service.
McDonald teared up talking about the positive attitude that "just radiated" from her daughter, and the smiles she put on others' faces.
She called Victoria her "best friend in the entire world."
Part diva and part tomboy, her independent-minded daughter was the "best parts" of both of her parents, McDonald said.
"She had such an amazing personality, so full of love, happiness and a passion for life that I've never seen and that I doubt I will ever see again," she said.
The Grade 3 student's father said he never believed he would "truly see what a real angel looked like" until his daughter came into his life.
"It was truly an honour to have you in my life and be the one you called Daddy," Stafford said.
Stafford said he struggled with what he would say to those attending his daughter's memorial service and fears that his heart "will never fully mend."
"There is no way to find the words to express the loss of someone so close, so young and so beautiful," Stafford said.
The little girl's aunt, Rebecca Stafford, told mourners she looked forward to "the time that we are reunited with our spunky little princess."
Victoria's 11-year-old brother, Daryn, read some of his thoughts about his sister, until he could not read any further.
"Today I'm realizing and understanding that Victoria's gone," Daryn said, when speaking to mourners from the front of the church.
"Anyway, I'm up here right now to say those four words: I love you Tori."
His mother took over and told the church how much Daryn's little sister had meant to him and the anguish he felt waiting for her to come home.
"I waited all day, every day, just sitting, waiting for your safe return," McDonald said, when reading Daryn's heartbreaking words to the church. "Today, I'll try hard not to cry because we're here to celebrate your wonderful life."
Prior to Victoria's family speaking, Reverend David Duncan, the head of Woodstock's College Avenue United Church, remembered the "sweet kid" who sent his wife a card the last Sunday she came to church.
Duncan's wife had been sick and Tori took the time to write a thoughtful "Get Well" card for her, which included a memorable sign-off: "P.S. You rock."
The young girl's death left God "weeping with us, too," Duncan said.
Before the service finished, a slideshow of pictures was shown to mourners that chronicled Victoria's short life.
Dozens of volunteers had helped control the estimated 800 people who gathered at the church, prior to the start of the service.
The young girl's parents talked briefly to reporters following Saturday's service.
Both McDonald and Stafford, who separated some years ago, said they have encouraged Daryn -- who normally walked home from school with Victoria -- to talk about the emotions he has been feeling since losing his sister.
"We tell him: Let it out," Stafford told reporters, noting that Daryn often finds himself thinking about Victoria.
McDonald said her son needs "to go through his own process."
"When he needs to let it out, he lets it out. He has a lot of anger, he's very upset," she said.
On Saturday, Victoria's father said that he plans to push for changes to the Amber Alert system, which was not used in investigating his daughter's disappearance.
Victoria, known as Tori to her friends, disappeared on April 8 as she was leaving school just after 3 p.m.
On May 20, police arrested Michael Rafferty, 28, and Terri-Lynne McClintic, 18, in connection with her disappearance.
They are both charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping, though Victoria's body has not yet been found.
With files from The Canadian Press and a report from CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney
