Celebration of life planned in Thornhill for young cyclist hit, killed by vehicle while riding on sidewalk

Nikita Belykh event will take place June 9 at North Thornhill Community Centre, where 10-year-old was hit while on her bike

Thestar.com
June 8, 2022
Jeremy Grimaldi

The parents of a young girl who was killed while riding her bicycle are throwing a neighbourhood concert to celebrate what would have been her 11th birthday.

Nikita Belykh’s father, Michael, said rather than spend the day mourning the 10-year-old’s death, the family will hold a performance with bands playing some of her favourite songs on June 9 between 8 and 10 p.m., at the amphitheater at North Thornhill Community Centre, 300 Pleasant Ridge Ave., Vaughan.

"We’re up and down the closer her birthday comes... It’s difficult for us,” he said, explaining the emotions he and his wife, Natalia, are feeling. "I don’t want her to be forgotten, so I am going to do whatever I can to keep her alive."

Besides the event, which is meant to raise funds for several community projects in Nikita’s honour, the Belykhs also hope to donate money to help build a playground at Ruskoka Camp, in Bracebridge, a site Nikita visited shortly before her tragic passing.

"It warms my heart to have this playground where others will play," Michael said, explaining that a celebration of this sort would have made Nikita happy. "She would be very happy (with the concert). She was the girl that loved fun and parties and friends.”

It was on Sept. 1 that Nikita was hit by an SUV while riding her bicycle on the sidewalk outside the North Thornhill Community Centre.

Following a police investigation, Thanh Loan Nguyen, 33, of Mississauga, was charged with careless driving causing death, a Highway Traffic Act charge, rather than a criminal one.

The family also launched a $2.25-million lawsuit against the City of Vaughan, Nguyen and others.

Nikita was one of four children who lost their lives as a result of cars in York Region in the summer of 2021.

Those children include Anaya and Jax Chaudhari and William Wallace, 14, of Mt. Albert.

The community helped raise almost $58,000 in the wake of Nikita’s passing.