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Family uses hardship to help 1 October victim's children

Posted at 9:15 AM, Nov 01, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-01 19:20:13-04

For the first time, we're hearing from the sister of a local woman who was killed in the October 1 shooting.

Mynda Smith is Neysa Tonks' sister. She says she often visits the shooting memorials around town. She wants to keep them tidy.

Her parents got the call late at night. It woke them up.

Her son went to the coroner's office to have what they already knew confirmed: Their mother was among the victims. Neysa's sister says the family has good days and bad days.

"We love Vegas strong. We love that saying, but we are family strong and we're getting through this together because without each other we couldn't have done this," said Smith.

The community has really rallied Tonks' family.

Click For GoFundMe Page

Jackie Hafter, a local mom, was planning a movie screening, on a totally unrelated topic, before the mass shooting. Once tragedy struck, plans changed.

"When this tragedy happened, there's nothing more I thought better than choosing kind by giving back to Mynda's family and Mynda's nephews," said Hafter.

Proceeds from the movie tickets will go to Tonks' three sons. Mynda is a friend of the organizer.

"Right now my heart could be super sad, but we have really tried to say that we're letting light in," said Smith.

Tickets to the special movie screening are not available to the general public, but you can donate to the victims' fund.

The movie is called "Wonder." It comes out later in November. It's about a boy with Treacher Collins syndrome, a birth defect that affects a person's facial structure.

We have reported on a local student who lives with this genetic mutation. His family is helping to organize the screening.