Community members help support family of Haitian immigrant killed in Dorchester

BOSTON — A community is opening up their hearts and their wallets to help a family financially crippled by gun violence.

Thursday night, FOX25 first spoke with the family of a Dorchester mother gunned down just three months after moving to America from Haiti in order to live a better life.

"She was such a great person, a wonderful wife, mother, and a wonderful friend,” Nathalie Saimbert said.

Saimbert was a close friend to Benine Timothee, the 36-year-old mother killed Saturday afternoon as bullets flew in Dorchester. She was the unintended victim of a bullet meant for a teen.

Wednesday night the community mourned her loss but also came together to comfort her husband and two of her seven children.

"That's what community is about, it’s wrapping around those when they're hurt and helping,” Monica Cannon said.

Cannon worked with friends and complete strangers to organize the fundraiser for Timothee's husband grateful Andre amidst his grief.

"[He’s] amazed that he has all this support after such a tragedy,” Saimbert said.

Andre worked in the United States for years to save enough money to bring his wife and two of their seven kids to America. The five others remain in Haiti.

"We are all Haitian. We are all family we just felt compelled that we had to come and do something,” Stephanie Joacine, whose husband is from Haiti, said.

Hugs, money, and hope are all being given from the community.

"She didn't come here to get her life taken away she came here for support to help the kids for a better life,” Saimbert said.

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