Several hundred people crowded into the Mt. McIntyre Recreation Centre early Sunday afternoon to commemorate the life of 25-year-old Reid Parent.

The former Whitehorse man died on Saltspring Island, B.C., Nov. 14 when the car he was a passenger in left the road and slammed into a tree.

He had been wearing a seat belt.

The driver, a 25-year-old Victoria woman, survived the tragedy. The RCMP are still investigating.

Parent, who grew up in the Whitehorse area, had a profile here for his work as a hip-hop musician and for helping local youth. He had moved to B.C. several years ago.

Stepfather Darrell Hookey told Sunday's standing room-only audience he'd had a "great” relationship with his stepson.

He called the loss of Parent's life a horrible waste, but urged his listeners to concentrate on the joys and achievements of the young man's life.

Hookey told a humorous story about how, when he was dating Parent's mother, Daisey, who he ultimately married last summer, Reid learned Hookey would be part of a family Christmas get-together.

Before that event, Hookey took up Parent's challenge for a game of ping-pong. The audience laughed as Hookey said he soon wound up with a vigorous shot to the forehead he'll never forget.

Parent's sister Leah paid a moving tribute to her brother, saying she'll miss their regular get-togethers as adults, over brunch and such.

Leah, who has lived in several parts of the country, said she always disliked moving too far away from Parent to see him on a regular basis.

She then invited the audience to join her in a wolf howl to her brother, which many did.

Justin Lemphers, Daisey's nephew, had the audience chuckling again when he spoke of how he took Parent, who he called a child who complained a lot, out for a Lake Laberge canoe trip.

Within two minutes, Lemphers said, the young Parent declared he was bored. After the boy received a planned dunking into the lake when the canoe rolled, Lemphers said to laughter, he was surprised by how colourful the child's vocabulary had become.

Andrea Lemphers, who is married to Florian Lemphers, Parent's uncle, told of how the child spent a lot of time at their Shallow Bay home. She said she'll never forget the lad's fondness for cookies.

Friend Daniel Ashley called his chum "a character,” and said Sunday's huge turnout was an indication of the love Reid gave Yukoners during his years here, which included being a student at the Wood Street Centre, where he developed his interest in performing.

The mourners were shown numerous slides of Parent, a comical video he did while wearing a purposely unattractive sweater, and taped samples of his hip-hop work.

He had been working with other musicians on a CD when his life was cut short.

Bringing YouthToward Equality has set up a $500 annual scholarship in Parent's name.

A musical tribute to the young bachelor took place at a downtown club Sunday evening.