Last November, 11-year-old Mattea Jace Somerville started a petition to get a rainbow crosswalk in Guelph.
Somerville, described as a "sensitive old soul" by her family, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in her sleep.
Somerville, 12, was an ally of the LGBTQ2S+ community and her petition was signed by nearly 1,500 people.
“Having a rainbow crosswalk is very important to me because my loved ones are members of the LGBTQ2S+ community and the rainbow crosswalk is a welcoming symbol of inclusion and diversity for LGBTQ2S+ people,” Somerville said on the petition page.
Tasha Jameson, the cousin of Mattea's mother Michelle, shared what Mattea was like.
“Just a very, very sensitive girl to other people and very mindful of how they feel in situations,” said Jameson.
“Putting what she was now believing into action by saying, ‘no, I want to have this in my community. I think it’s really important. I want my sister to grow up in a place where those values are reflected,’” Jameson said when Somerville started her petition for the crosswalk.
Somerville was a huge animal lover and loved spending time with her friends and family.
Jameson started a GoFundMe page to raise money to help the Somerville family with funeral expenses, mortgage, a dog sitter and meals. This way they can have time to grieve without worrying about money and how they will make ends meet, she said. In under 24 hours the fundraiser reached over $31,500 through donations by 274 people.
“My sincerest condolences to the Somerville family. Mattea was a ray of warm sunshine, whose bright light will never be diminished. You are all in my thoughts and prayers,” said Patricia Cuthbert on the GoFundMe page.
“It was a great shock to learn of Mattea's passing and she will be dearly missed. Our family's thoughts and prayers are with Michelle, Jake, Dash and all the extended family during this very difficult time. Mattea was an amazing young woman whose loss will be felt forever,” said Gillian Barrett, also on the page.
Jameson said many people have reached out to her and told her although they didn’t know Somerville but what she did with the rainbow crosswalk petition was inspiring.
The loss of Somerville was shocking for the family and Jameson was looking for answers. The family won’t have those answers until after the autopsy is done.
“I don’t think they’ll ever heal from it,” she said. “I hope it will morph into something that is a celebration of her life. As opposed to reflecting solely on her passing.
“I wish there were more Matteas in the world. Mattea is the type of child that we all hope our children grow into one day,” Jameson said, trying to hold back the sadness in her voice.
Jameson has a three and a half-year-old son. “If he was one tenth of what she turned out to be, I would be the proudest momma.”
She hopes Somerville’s accomplishments live on and other families step up in their communities like Somerville did.
"I also personally really want to make sure that people recognize that what Mattea did by starting that petition isn't just getting Guelph three rainbow crosswalks by next Spring (you may have seen the mall already installed one on their property) - but it has also led to the mall and the city making a commitment to show ongoing support for the queer community here, so that the crosswalks aren't just a superficial symbol. I'm doing work with the mall and the city now that Mattea made possible and that honestly is so amazing,” said Barry Moore, chair of Out- on-the-Shelf, in a message to family.
