By Michael Newhouse
ABOUT 130 people turned out to Wheelahan Reserve last Sunday evening to pay their respects to the life of Hiep Thi Nguyen, who was run down and killed on her way work earlier this year.
In a show of respect and solidarity, people from all faiths, community and ethic groups came together for Sunday evening’s candlelight vigil.
“A lot of people, as we knew, were really upset by it and some of them were in tears, but it was a really good opportunity to pay their respects and grieve and heal,” vigil organiser Sean Spencer said after the event.
Ms Nguyen was run down in a car park on her way to work in West Footscray on 3 March, her body was found dumped 200 metres away on a pavement in Whitty St early that morning.
Police are still investigating, but have so far found it difficult to gather information about Ms Nguyen as she had no family in Australia and kept to herself.
“It was good opportunity for people to come together and say ‘I knew her, or I met her or I’ve seen her’,” Mr Spencer said.
Among the speakers on the night was western suburbs youth worker Les Twentyman, Peta Brooks, who lived across from Ms Nguyen, and one of the priests from Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception catholic church.
