Today, we are not writing about real estate. We are not writing about market trends, mortgage rates, or property values. None of that matters right now.

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Yesterday, the community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia was shattered by a tragedy that no community should ever have to endure. A mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School took the lives of nine people and left dozens more injured. In a town of fewer than 3,000 people, where everyone knows each other by name, every family is a neighbour, and every loss is deeply personal.

There are no words that can ease this kind of pain. We know that. But we also know that silence is not an option when fellow British Columbians are suffering.

To the families who lost loved ones: we grieve with you. To those recovering from injuries: we are holding you in our thoughts. To the first responders who ran toward danger to protect others: your courage humbles us. To the entire Tumbler Ridge community: you are not alone.

We are a real estate company based in the Okanagan, and on most days, our work is about helping people find a place to call home. But home is more than four walls. Home is the community that surrounds you. Home is knowing your children are safe at school. Home is the feeling that your neighbours have your back.

That sense of home was broken yesterday in Tumbler Ridge, and it will take a long time to rebuild. But if there is anything that British Columbians do well, it is showing up for each other.

We encourage anyone who is able to support the Tumbler Ridge community in the days and weeks ahead. Whether through donations, volunteering, or simply reaching out to someone who may be struggling, every gesture matters.

Our deepest condolences go out to all those affected. Tumbler Ridge, we stand with you.

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With heartfelt sympathy,

The Team at Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty

Kelowna, British Columbia