PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — An outpouring of support from the community on Monday to help the family of a Palm Beach Gardens mom who was shot and killed.
Michael Cimbrec said he lost his best friend, Jackie Barthelemy.
"The friendship, the companionship, her smile," Cimbrec said. "The companionship because not everybody has what we had with the sharing of the professions, myself being a chef. We would sit on the couch for hours after work and talk about what worked."
At times, the pain is too much for Cimbrec.
"Anybody who was around us could just see she thought the world of me and I was so proud and lucky to have this beautiful girl," Cimbrec said.
Jackie's life was taken the night of Sept. 11. She ended up stopping at a gas station convenience store in Palm Beach Gardens where a robbery was taking place.
Now the community is trying to help the family as they grieve. Jackie's son plays baseball. His coach is helping host a drive-thru dinner on Monday.
"It's a $10 donation per meal and we are asking the community to come together," said Louie Siciliano, who coaches the Vipers Baseball Club. "All of the proceeds are going to go to Trenton's family. We are really trying to help Trenton get all the way through college."
The family said a funeral service will be held in Jackie's hometown in Ohio. And there will be a celebration of life on her birthday, Oct. 10. She shares that same birthday with her son.
Siciliano said they set up a Viper Memorial Fund at PNC Bank for Jackie Barthelemy.
Monday's drive-thru dinner to support Jackie's son was held at North Palm Rec Center. The family said Monday evening that the fundraiser raised more than 8,000 dollars in 2-and-a-half hours