After Zack Bedard died in a car accident nearly three years ago, his family wanted to do something to remember him.

So, a cousin, Stephanie Tom, started a fundraiser for a granite bench to be placed at the skateboard park that Zack and his buddies spent a lot of time. Plympton-Wyoming gave permission fr the bench to be placed near the bike ramps at McKay Park.

Kim Hinchberger, Zack’s aunt, says the bench lifted the hearts of the Bedard family, particularly her sister, Kelly. “It was the first time after losing Zack that she was very happy about something. The bench was going to be something that would be there forever.”

But the family is now heartbroken after someone broke the bench into pieces last weekend.

The top of the bench, which bears the memorial inscription and a picture of Zack flying through the air with his bike, was smashed in pieces.

Hinchberger says her sister is “devastated and so are Zack’s brothers and friends. They’re extremely upset. It’s a slap in the face” with Bedard asking “why would someone do that to my son.”

“It’s just hurtful.”

Hinchberger says alcohol containers and eggs were found around the broken memorial.

The town, she says, have been very helpful and the maker of the bench, Canton Memorials, has already been to the park to start the process of fixing the bench.

Hinchberger says anyone who may have information about who could have destroyed the bench is asked to call the OPP.