A small but growing memorial, made up of bouquets and teddy bears, formed outside a home north of Toronto on Thursday as a community grieved a family of five killed in a small plane crash in Nashville.

Victor Dotsenko, 43, his 39-year-old wife Rimma Dotsenko and their three children, 12-year-old David, 10-year-old Adam and seven-year-old Emma, were killed Monday as a single-engine plane crashed alongside a highway near downtown Nashville.

The family, who were the only people aboard the plane, lived in King Township, located about 50 kilometres north of Toronto.

Two of their neighbours, Anne and Leo Amore, said the news has left them and others in their community 害羞草研究所渉eartbroken.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淛ust devastated 害羞草研究所� we害羞草研究所檙e all in shock,害羞草研究所� Leo Amore said as the pair were on their way to buy flowers to leave outside the family害羞草研究所檚 home.

Amore said he and Victor Dotsenko would often talk in the driveway. 害羞草研究所淗e was always working on his cars. He just loved his cars and his boats,害羞草研究所� he said.

The Dotsenkos were 害羞草研究所渁 wonderful family,害羞草研究所� he said, adding their deaths leave a real 害羞草研究所渆mptiness.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a real tragedy,害羞草研究所� he said.

Anne Amore said the three children were joyful and 害羞草研究所渇ull of life,害羞草研究所� and the family was 害羞草研究所渓ovely.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hey were always very, very pleasant, always kind and respectful,害羞草研究所� she said.

The family害羞草研究所檚 deaths have also left students and staff at the children害羞草研究所檚 school 害羞草研究所渃ompletely distraught,害羞草研究所� a school administrator said, calling the family 害羞草研究所渁n integral part害羞草研究所� of the community.

Alina Pinsky, co-director of the UMCA Rich Tree Academy, a private school north of Toronto, said the family was part of the school community for many years.

David, Adam and Emma were 害羞草研究所渢he sweetest kids you害羞草研究所檒l ever meet,害羞草研究所� she said in a phone interview.

害羞草研究所淭hese were the most bright, energy-filled kids 害羞草研究所� everyone in the school loved them, they had so many friends,害羞草研究所� Pinsky said. 害羞草研究所淭his was a very, very loved trio in our school.害羞草研究所�

David was a kind-hearted jokester, a smart, bright kid with a 害羞草研究所渨holesome害羞草研究所� personality, she said.

Adam was an avid chess player and the school had recently talked about setting up a tournament so he could show the community what he害羞草研究所檇 been working on, she said.

Emma was a 害羞草研究所渟weet, kind young girl, always such a good friend害羞草研究所� to her classmates, she said.

Their parents were very involved in the school community and had recently attended some performances, Pinsky said.

害羞草研究所淲e are so sad as a community and as a school,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭he sadness and the grief that the school is feeling today weighs very heavily on our hearts.害羞草研究所�

Rabbi Chaim Hildeshaim of the Chabad Russian Centre of Thornhill Woods has known the family for more than a decade, officiating the couple害羞草研究所檚 wedding in 2009 and performing the naming ceremonies for each of their children.

害羞草研究所淭hey had a beautiful relationship between the two of them. I witnessed that on many different occasions,害羞草研究所� he said in a phone interview.

害羞草研究所淭hey were very, very devoted parents. And they did everything to educate the children, to give them the best education 害羞草研究所� and to give them a good time at the same time.害羞草研究所�

Victor Dotsenko was the kind of person who always offered to lend a hand, he said. When the synagogue underwent renovations, Dotsenko 害羞草研究所� who was working as a window installer at the time 害羞草研究所� came with his crew and put in the windows for free, the rabbi said.

害羞草研究所淗e was a very, very, very giving person,害羞草研究所� he said. The whole family was 害羞草研究所済ood-hearted害羞草研究所� and active in the community, he added.

Hildeshaim said he learned of their deaths through a mutual friend. 害羞草研究所淚t was very difficult. And still I can害羞草研究所檛 really, you know, wrap my head around it,害羞草研究所� he said.

He urged people in the community to do good deeds to honour the family害羞草研究所檚 memory.

King City害羞草研究所檚 mayor called the deaths a 害羞草研究所渉eartbreaking and devastating loss害羞草研究所� for the 害羞草研究所渢ight-knit community.害羞草研究所�

Education Minister Stephen Lecce, whose riding includes King City, said he spoke to the mayor Thursday morning to express his condolences.

害羞草研究所淚 do not know the family personally but whenever these types of tragedies take place, they害羞草研究所檙e so shocking,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey have impacts in schools and well beyond, so we害羞草研究所檙e thinking about the family and we害羞草研究所檙e praying for them.害羞草研究所�

Ontario Premier Doug Ford called it a 害羞草研究所渉uge and shocking loss for everyone who knew the Dotsenko family.害羞草研究所�

Victor Dotsenko was a member of the Brampton Flying Club, said the club害羞草研究所檚 general manager, Allan Paige. He did his training at the club and obtained his private pilot licence in November 2022, and continued to fly with the club until he bought his plane in the middle of last year, Paige said.

Dotsenko, who was flying the plane, had radioed air traffic controllers to report that his engine had shut down, he had overflown John C. Tune airport and had circled around in an attempt to land.

Investigator Aaron McCarter of the National Transportation Safety Board said the flight originated in Ontario and made stops along the way that were likely to gas up, including Erie, Pa., and Mount Sterling, Ky.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has sent a representative to assist in the crash investigation being led by U.S. authorities.

READ ALSO: