Kids of Dr Ferdinand Mejilla

For Mackenzie, Nadia, Rogue, Rayne and Shae - Children of the late Burlington Chiropractor, Dr Ferdinand "Fred" Mejilla

Imagine if your kids were waiting for you to come and pick them up from school...But today you were late...but you are NEVER late.

Instead of seeing you pulling into the school parking lot, they see their grandparents - and when they come out of the car - it is written all over their faces. Something is wrong.  

Imagine the incomprehensible moment your kids learn that your life was taken away in the blink of an eye.  A violent death - a senseless crime.

On Thursday March 16th Dr Fred Mejilla was in his clinic having just finished caring for dozens of patients.  Dr Fred was a gifted doctor and loved to help alleviate pain and suffering in those who were in need.  

Even if they couldn't afford to pay.

His five children were at school.  His parents were at home.  All of them completely unaware that their father was about to be gunned down in a senseless act of violence.

When Fred walked into a room, it automatically filled with his enthusiasm and good cheer...even when times were tough.

He touched a lot of people.

I met him when I was just a 23 y/o paramedic. Skeptical, jaded a little cynical... and rude to him. He had just opened his clinic. 

We were fast friends.

A few years after his first "exposure" to me....(ha) I popped in to visit him. I was on shore leave on my way to see Beth (my future wife).  Fred was about to close up and was headed to Homecoming at Palmer College of Chiropractic. "Why don't you come? I bet you can get a scholarship. You'd be a an awesome chiropractor", he said.  And something incredible happened ....I believed him. :)

I called Beth, told her I'd be delayed 5 days (total shore leave was only 14 days...) and that I was making a trip to Davenport Iowa.

She was glad to hear it. She really liked Fred. She loved how he spoke into me and believed in me.

Off I went to Homecoming. I had the University of Ottawa fax my transcripts and was offered a scholarship...just like he said.

That was more than 20 yrs ago.

He would make the trip to my place with his twins and his youngest son.  My girls really loved him. He was easy to love.

A friend recently asked me how my kids are coping...

"Like kids" I answered..."they are playing with friends...but they come around and hug me every few minutes and they're carrying around the teddy bears he bought them."  

My kids just have to look over their shoulder and I am there.  Fred's kids...they can't do that ever again.

I can't imagine what could have happened for him to meet a violent death like this. There is a lot of conjecture bouncing around social media, including the possibility that he was never the intended target but may have merely gotten in the way.  We don't know...and we may never know.

We can't believe he's gone.

The pain and confusion left behind for his children and  family is incomprehensible.  Five children...torn to pieces and no answers.

Fred's sudden death has left his family and kids with soaring expenses that they could not anticipate. Five children to clothe, educate and house with 90% of the income gone overnight. 

The funds from this page go directly into the hands of the Mejilla Family.  The way GoFundMe is set up - none of the money goes through my hands - it goes straight to the family. 

This fundraiser is meant explicitly for the kids. For their immediate and future needs.  Very real needs need to be met. The fridge needs to be filled, the house needs to be heated.  All the same things you provide for your kids.

Even donations of $5 or $20...it adds up.

Fred was the kind of guy who would donate anonymously - likely beyond his ability
...because, that was Fred.

Please give generously and share this page.