Crowds gathered to honour the life of Jessica Rennie tonight with a balloon release on what would have been her 11th birthday.
Jessica died after getting into difficulty at Northfield swimming pool last week. She was taken to hospital but sadly passed away.
Her death has “completely devastated” her family who have been paying tribute to their “beautiful little girl”.
Her mother, Kelly Murdoch, told The P&J that they had been “rushing around” organising the Harry Potter birthday party she had asked for.
Instead, the community where she lived came together to honour her short but remarkable life, releasing dozens of balloons into the sky to mark her special day.
Around 150 people gathered at Fersands & Fountain Community Centre, in the Woodside area, this evening where Jessica was a familiar face to staff.
Ms Murdoch said her daughter had been visiting the centre for more than five years and “loved all the activities the club arranged”.
She said: “Today would have been Jessica’s 11th birthday but she is not here for us to share it with her.”
Colourful balloons lit up dark sky for Jessica Rennie
Balloons of all colours and shapes including stars and hearts, as well as inflatables emblazoned with the number 11 and ‘happy birthday’ were brought along by attendees of all ages.
As it began to rain the crowd cast them into the dark sky, with many being carried off by the wind.
Outside the centre, photos of Jessica have been attached to a nearby fence showing the happy schoolgirl.
In a statement, staff at the Fersands centre said that said Jessica would “waltz” into the centre and “hug all the workers”, showcasing her friendly and fun-loving spirit.
‘I would give anything to be listening to her singing’
Her mum said everyone was “heartbroken” that her daughter is not with them to celebrate today.
In a statement provided to The P&J, Ms Murdoch reflected on all the wonderful things about Jessica, saying she enjoyed the “simple” things in life.
She had even been learning Spanish ahead of a family holiday.
She said: “Jessica loved the simple things in life like lying on the sofa and being in charge of the remote, raiding the fridge, baking cakes with Kevin and me and taking three hours in the shower.
“She loved her friends and her family and all the activities which the club arranged. She loved that we were rushing around organising the Harry Potter birthday party she wanted.
“She loved trips away. She had started to learn Spanish for our holiday to Spain, which we had booked and which she was so excited about.
“I would give anything to be listening to her singing and doing all those simple things she loved.
“We are all heartbroken.”
Outpouring of support for Jessica Rennie’s family
A meeting of Aberdeen City Council‘s education committee on Wednesday morning began with a moment of silence in Jessica’s memory.
Since the tragedy, a fundraiser set up in her name has already raised nearly £23,000.
The fundraiser was set up by 34-year-old Yilmaz Huseyin – owner of Yilmaz Snack Bar on Hareness Road – for Jessica’s family in the days following her death.
He said the money will be used to pay for her funeral, with the rest given to her family to ease any financial pressures.
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