The Wishwall commemorates local singer killed
MARLTON, N.J. (WTXF) - Christina Grimmie was an up and coming star from Marlton when she was tragically murdered six months ago.
Thousands across the country mourned the loss, but locally some are trying to keep her memory alive.
Fox 29's Bill Anderson spoke to Grimmie's brother and visited with people who want to keep Christina's positive spirit and light shining by granting wishes to strangers.
December marked six months since popular singer and Marlton native was shot and killed. Her senseless death shook thousands but locally, some were just seeking to find a positive way to respond to such a negative situation.
"We first told you about the wishwall in Philadelphia and the point was for people to come together to grant individual's wishes and help them out. Now, inspired by the tragic death of singer Christina Grimmie there's The Wishwall here in Marlton and people hope that other's dreams may be able to come true even as tragically Christina's didn't get a chance to.
"She was a sweet girl and to have her succeed and be at the beginning of her career like that and to have what happened happen and she didn't even get to her peak, is very upsetting"
Mary Beth Ianarella saw the Philadelphia Wishwall and wanted one in Marlton. She reached out to Simonetta Lein, affectionately known as the wishmaker because of her Wishwall non-profit and the two thought it was a great way to actively honor Christina Grimmie's memory.
Its simple, you place your wish on the wall and Simonetta and the community get to work.
"You look for wishes that you can actually grant, yes. I see donating to toys for tots, somebody needs a service dog," said Ianarella.
They take on one large challenge but the community can take on several.
"Some of these can be granted by the community. That's actually the idea I had behind all this. The first thing was How do I bring people together?" Ianarella said.
The wishwall launched on the six month anniversary of Christina's murder with her family in attendance. I spoke to her brother who told me that the idea touched them because it truly represents who his sister was.
"She knew and my family knows, like my parents have taught us, you can't change the world by the whole world, you change it one step at a time, one person at a time……you be the light, you be the impact and she was very good at that. She could walk in the room and make that person feel like the most important person in the world."
"Many times we want to complicate our lives but it's a simple idea, when people get together they can make a lot of things happen"
Christina Grimmie died too soon and nothing can change that but we can take the tragic end to a life and use it to inspire us to make an impact on many lives.