Friends are grieving the loss of former Bradford resident Maria De Simone following her tragic death in a freak collision Thursday afternoon in a Vaughan parking structure.
While out walking on a lunch break near her workplace at Keele and Rutherford, a white Audi SUV struck her on the sidewalk after it was propelled off the two-storey parking lot of a commercial plaza. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
York Regional Police identified the driver of the Audi Q5, who was pronounced deceased in hospital, as an 80-year-old man from Brampton. The female passenger, a 70-year-old woman from Pickering, remains in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
De Simone, who lived in Bradford from 2010 to 2015, owned a dog grooming business called Pawlicious. Residents and clients describe her as a positive, happy and sweet soul.
She was the mother of two boys, Joey and Desi. In 2009, her eldest son Joey was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer, Ewing's Sarcoma. Joey started to wear a fedora as he underwent treatment, to not have to constantly explain his hair loss to strangers. That’s when he and De Simone started the Fedora Foundation, raising awareness and hosting fundraisers to help him and other children living with cancer.
Joey beat his cancer, and the family continued to fundraise and advocate for cancer patients and Sick Kids Hospital. The family moved to Vaughan in 2015, and her sons are now aged 14 and 18.
She was also the sister of Woodbridge pop singer, Joee.
Messages of prayers and condolences flooded the Welcome To Bradford community Facebook page Thursday night, as they recalled memories of the former resident.
Her friend and former neighbour Angie Bifolchi remembers her fondly, referring to her as an icon to Bradford.
"Maria lives true to her Instagram name ‘golden ray girl’,” said Bifolchi.
“She was a culmination of positivity, inner beauty, courage and charisma. She loved life and gave 100 per cent every single day. Genuine in every way possible. She had a way with people no matter what was going on in her personal life.”
“She was the fun-loving mom who always made her boys smile immensely. Her children were her entire world and she spent all her days making sure they had the best life.”
"Her dogs and clients loved her. Maria would always say her dogs were like her kids and she had the best job in the world. Her fuel in life was love, kindness, Nutella, chocolate chip cookies and Timmies."
“Maria was a “no-frills” type of person, all she needed was her faith and family. She was an angel on earth and now she will shine down on us like the ray of sunshine she was. This is a huge loss to the community around her. If you were touched by Maria’s soul you were blessed.”
Another Bradford resident, Isabella Tomasi Commisso said she and De Simone were good friends when she lived in the area and continued to keep in touch after she moved.
“Maria was one of the first people I met upon moving to Bradford in 2013,” she remembered.
“Her bright smile, contagious laugh, outgoing demeanour and love for dogs made her stand out above the rest. However, what stood out most about Maria was the love she encompassed for her nearest and dearest.”
“Maria always spoke of how 'she gave her boys life, but they gave her reason to live'. This was prominent in all that she did. From school pickups & dropsoffs, to working tireless hours around the clock & organizing fundraisers for childhood cancer, Maria’s boys were her everything.”
“Maria took a piece of Blue Dasher (their street name) when she moved in 2015. On July 9, 2020, she took a piece of our hearts and reminded us how blessed we were to have her as a part of the Bradford community.”
Another close friend Giovanna Nobili was heartbroken to hear the news on Thursday.
“Maria had the kindest heart. She was a little breath of fresh air when she walked in a room,” she said. “Always so positive no matter what life threw her way. An angel on Earth. She was a wonderful friend. And she will be greatly missed.
-with files from Debora Kelly
