Hundreds poured into the Innovation Credit Union iPlex last night to watch a live-streamed vigil for the Humboldt Broncos Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League organization on the big screen at centre ice.

The hundreds in attendance joined millions in Canada and around the world witness the celebration of the lives of those lost and all those involved in this past Friday's tragic bus crash north of Tisdale that saw 15 victims, and 14 survivors suffering a variety of injuries. 

"When things like this happen then it brings out the good in everyone and it's just great to see that here tonight - especially with Swift Current, given our history with a similar situation," said Ryan Switzer, Digital Media Director for the Swift Current Broncos. "You see a lot of people here at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex who went through it with us when that unfortunate bus crash happened. It's great to see everybody come together through adversity."

Through that adversity, which brought up chilling memories from that bus crash over 30 years ago that claimed four lives, came an overwhelming sense of support and care for the families and community with ties to the early-April tragedy.

"It's amazing how with most people right away their first response is 'How do I help?'... They're going online and they're hitting up the GoFundMe pages," Switzer added. "We have a box for donations at the door here tonight that's filling up real quick. It's just great to see how everybody's first instinct is just 'How can I help, what can I do?'.

The Swift Current Broncos organization, along with the City of Swift Current paired together to allow the event to happen, but the idea was sparked on a well-known local group on social media.

"Well it started on Facebook on the SC Broncos Banter site - someone had asked the Broncos if they could do something," said Jeff Giesbrecht, with the City of Swift Current. "Diane (Sletten) had contacted me at the City to see if we could have something in the iPlex and it kind of happened from there."

"They wanted to be a part of something," added Swift Current mayor Denis Perrault. "We were getting a lot of requests and I think this is an excellent way that people can be together, which I think is really important during a time like this."

The cash total was still being tallied at the end of the vigil, but the total will be a welcome addition to a GoFundMe page currently at over $4.5 million in donations from around the world... and certainly counting.