Cindy Parsons says her 29-year-old son, Fred Parsons, and two friends went for a walk on Sept. 6 and were playing on the swings. “That night the three friends stopped to play on the swings. They laughed and laughed as they hit each other,” Cindy wrote in a letter released to the media. “It is their laughter and joy that probably attracted the attention of the criminals.” Cindy calls her son a handsome, funny, kind, happy, kind, generous, silly, thoughtful and unique man. One of the friends on a walk with Fred was, what Cindy calls, Rose’s soulmate. He is not authorized to release the third friend’s name. “All three friends were bear-sprayed, along with Fred’s little dog. Fred was stabbed and did not survive,” the letter reads. “In the face of this fast and dynamic aggression, the three gentle friends did not have a chance to escape.” READ MORE: Man, 29, stabbed to death in Nanaimo’s Maffeo Sutton Park Cindy writes that the families of the three friends and many who knew the friends have been traumatized by this violent act. “The circle of trauma is wide. Fred was the only person who died, but there are many people injured by this senseless act of violence,” Cindy writes. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and concrete support for our family and also for Fred’s two partners and their families, as well as Fred’s housemates and staff.” In the letter, Cindy addresses what she calls harmful rumors on social media. He says Fred and his friends were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the attack. He says Fred was born with a disability. “He struggled mightily and worked harder than anyone I know to adapt and compensate for his unique wiring,” Cindy writes. “Fred also had many gifts that were extraordinary and unusual. He was a much loved, admired and respected young man.” She says Fred was a trusting person, which often made him vulnerable. “One irony in this whole mess is that if the thugs had asked to be his friends, he would have agreed,” the letter says. “He would have gone for a walk or coffee with them. He really liked helping people.” Cindy thanks the community for their patience and respecting the family’s privacy during this time. They also thank the RCMP for their work and the “quick” arrests. An evening vigil will be planned at Maffeo Sutton Park to honor Fred’s life. READ MORE: Nanaimo teenager charged with murder in fatal stabbing at Maffeo Sutton Park
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