John Rennie student Lucas Gaudet remembered by family, friends, and the West Island community

Family, friends, and Montreal’s West Island community are mourning 16-year-old Lucas Gaudet – who’s been called a great kid, polite, always thinking of others, who was born with skates on his feet. A son, a brother, and a friend. The teen died Thursday morning after he was stabbed on Tuesday afternoon during an altercation near St. Thomas High School in Pointe-Claire.

“I want him back,” said Lynne-Marie Baudouy, Lucas’ mother, through tears. “It’s not fair, it’s not fair at all. I’m going to miss him so much, but I know now he’s not suffering anymore. He’s with my mom, with my father-in-law, they’re going to take care of him until I see him again.”

“Everyone loved him, everyone he touched he made an impression, he was such a good kid. He was the best kid a parent could have asked for.”

The mom remembering her son as someone who lived and breathed hockey.

“He was on his way to the juniors. He played AAA hockey. He was born with skates on his feet, so that was his life, he breathed hockey, he breathed and lived hockey. He told me when the pandemic hit and when he first got back onto the ice he was so happy, because he didn’t know what to do with himself. His life was hockey. It was just such a shame that his life had to be taken.”

#WATCH: “I want him back,” said Lynne-Marie Baudouy, Lucas Gaudet’s mother, through tears. “It’s not fair at all. I’m going to miss him so much.”

The 16-year-old died Thursday after he was stabbed on Tuesday near
a high school in Pointe-Claire.https://t.co/aXC05DlREu pic.twitter.com/dulVeKNipj

— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) February 11, 2022

Lucas’ final moments – vivid in Baudouy’s mind.

“It’s been a nightmare, seeing him in the hospital bed, not moving, not responding. I kept telling myself, ‘he’s going to get out of it, it’s not his fate to be bed ridden for the rest of his life or to die,’ it’s just wrong.”

“I feel like it’s a bad dream, it’s the worse outcome a mother could expect. I want him back. I know it’s never going to happen, but I don’t believe his death is in vain, something has to change, we can’t be living like this it’s not right, it’s not right to lose a child at 16 years old when my grandfather lived to 102 and went to through the wars and saw all of that.”

WATCH: Extended interview with Lucas’ mother

The mom saying her son was in the wrong place at the wrong time when an altercation broke out Tuesday.

“It had nothing to do with him. He was just probably trying to help his friend, protect his friend, and turned, ran away and got stabbed in the back. I don’t blame the other child, we have to forgive the other child, he needs help more so than what I do because he’s going to live with himself for the rest of his life. I’ve already forgiven him cause that’s the only way that I’m going to heal. And everyone else has to pray for him, because Lucas’ life is finished yes, but his life is, he’s going to need the most help ever.”

She adds that the system needs to change, that it’s not normal that 16-year-olds are carrying weapons. “I denounce violence, I can’t, I’m at a loss for words. I don’t know what to say. It’s not normal that 16 year-old kids are walking around with guns in their hands and knives in their pockets.”

“Just walk away from it. Walk away. And I bet you that’s what Lucas was trying to do because that’s what I always told him. That’s what I always taught him. Don’t get involved. If it has nothing to do with you, just walk away.”

“Never, never in a million years would I have thought that I would be burying my kid. And he was such a good boy, such a good boy, and it’s just horrible to have to live through this. And to have to pull the plug on your own child because he’s brain dead, it’s unfathomable, I don’t wish it upon any parent. Any parent.”

(CREDIT: Ligue de Hockey d’Excellence du QuébeC)

School and community rally to support students, friends, and the family

Support is being offered today to students at John Rennie High school from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – the school already with a planned ped day on Friday. The principal, Jennifer Kurta, saying in a letter on Thursday to parents and students that more support will be offered in the coming school days to those who need it as well.

Support was also offered to students this week at St. Thomas High School.

The Lester B. Pearson School Board saying in a statement Friday: “The school board is focused today on providing support to any member of the LBPSB community who needs assistance. The community is in mourning and there will be no additional comments today.”

A city councillor for Pierrefonds-Roxboro posting to Facebook Thursday night with a photo of Gaudet in his hockey jersey and the #SticksOutForLucas.

One commenting on the post: “I am so sad. I taught Lucas in gr 6. He was a sweet boy who worked hard. He was very pleasant. We had great conversations. I enjoyed getting to know Lucas. My condolences to the whole family […] Life took you away too soon Lucas. Ton sourire va me manquer.”

Another saying: “Just so sad, so sorry for the family, beyond comprehension how did could happen to a young boy.”

(CREDIT: FB/LouiseLeroux)

A fundraising page also setup has exceeded it’s $10,000 goal – to help the family with funeral expenses.

“My children are now older, but it shakes the core of your community, you know sleepy little Pointe-Claire, you know not instead of not in the big city and it’s just a horrible thing,” said Gayle Maroulis, Pointe-Claire resident.

“There’s a youngster that won’t grow up and won’t become who he could have been, and that saddens the hell out of me because he was a young boy who was becoming a man,” says Derek Evans, Pointe-Claire resident. “The attitude of using the knife to settle an argument, […] it’s a weapon, prove your point over the other guy, only it’s so terminal, so final so irrevocable, that it’s a tragedy no matter where it takes place or when.”

A second teenager, 15, was also stabbed during the same altercation Tuesday, but did not sustain life-threatening injuries according to police.

Three teens arrested, charges likely to be upgraded

Police arrested three teens in this case – a 16-year-old was charged Wednesday with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit murder, and conspiracy to assault someone. He pled not guilty.

The charges could be upgraded once an autopsy is completed. He’s due back in court Feb. 16.

MORE: Police confirm teen stabbed in Pointe-Claire has died

The two other suspects, another 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, were released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.

Police had said that the victims and suspects knew each other.

It happened on Broadview Ave., near John Fisher Ave. – close to St. Thomas High School.

A passerby saw the victim not long after it happened, got him into his car to help – as police and emergency services arrived.

First responders rushed Gaudet to the hospital – where he remained in critical condition until his passing Thursday morning.