Family and friends are mourning the tragic death of Bayli Sellars, a young Chatham woman who touched the hearts and lives of many people.
Family and friends are mourning the tragic death of Bayli Sellars, a young Chatham woman who touched the hearts and lives of many people.
“She was loved,” said Sellars’ grandmother, Tami McLeod.
Friends and family, she said, her voice choked with emotion, will miss her 22-year-old granddaughter’s infectious smile.
“Just her goofy way,” McLeod added about how her granddaughter would always be posing when a photograph was taken.
Chatham-Kent police have not officially identified Sellars as the person who was found dead inside an Edgar Street home when firefighters responded to Saturday house fire just before 4 am
The Ontario Fire Marshal is helping the police department’s major crime unit in the investigation of the fire’s cause. There has been a continuous police presence in front of the home since early Saturday, but police have not released any further details, other than to say the investigation in continuing.
Meanwhile, the family continues to plan Sellars’ funeral while struggling to cope with her eternally death.
“You don’t think that you’re going to be burying your child. You don’t think that you’re going to be burying your grandchild,” McLeod said.
She described her granddaughter as being active and someone who enjoyed sports, especially rugby, but also bowling and soccer.
“The highlight was watching Bayli play her final rugby game in her multi-coloured tutu,” her obituary stated.
“She always had team spirit,” McLeod said of her granddaughter. “No matter what she did, no matter what activity she was doing, she had always had team spirit.
“Regardless if they won or lost, she still had the attitude, ‘we went out there and we played our best and we played the game well.’”
McLeod said Bayli tried all kinds of dancing but leaned towards hip hop.
The young woman also developed a love of photography.
“She was snapping pictures of everything she could,” said McLeod, adding photography came naturally to her granddaughter.
“Whatever she did, she did it with joy and spirit.”
News of the tragedy generated an outpouring of grievance on social media.
“Rest easy beautiful girl. … It was a pleasure to know you,” one post read. “Gone way too soon.”
“Still at a loss for words,” another post said. “You will be missed and missed by many.”
“RIP Bayli Sellars you will be missed,” said another person. “Your personality was infectious and you were always so fun to be around. Rest in paradise sweet girl.”
The funeral arrangements are being taken care of by McKinlay Funeral Homes in Chatham.