More than 200 mourners—students, faculty, staff and members of Windsor’s Chinese community—gathered Friday for a memorial ceremony in honour of Shaowen Zhang, the engineering student who died August 21.

“We want to commemorate him,” said Penchong Mao, a fellow engineering student who befriended Zhang during their time in the English Language Improvement Program. “We hope he can stay in peace. We want to be his family.”

It was a theme echoed by international student advisor Enrique Chacon, who said he was amazed by the turnout.

“We only sent out word yesterday, but obviously people care a lot. One thing that is for sure is that Zhang created a family when he came here.”

Chacon said he was “moved” by the number of students who brought bouquets of flowers and cards to lay front of a wreath and photo on the steps of Chrysler Hall Tower. Mourners also wrote messages of support and remembrance which will be given to members of Zhang’s family planning to visit Windsor soon from their Beijing home.