Vigil planned for bus accident victim

Source: The Star, Thu Feb 03 2011 
Friends say Menale Dinesa was passionate about helping his Ethiopian community and it’s that same community that will lovingly remember him. A vigil for the 62-year-old, who was struck by a bus while crossing the street last weekend and died of his injuries hours later, will be held Friday at 7 p.m., close to the Ossington subway station where the accident happened.“He used to go around and help Ethiopian immigrant businesses with painting. And he did it almost free because he wanted new immigrants to prosper,” said Samuel Getachew, a community activist who is helping to arrange the vigil. Dinesa, an electrical engineer who lived and worked in the Bloor St. W. and Ossington Ave. area, was known for always carrying his tools with him. Friends say they saw his bag on the ground close to where he fell. Dinesa, who emigrated from Ethiopia to Canada in 1992, was single. About 50 people came together on Sunday and held a small vigil to mourn him, but Getachew says the community wanted to hold something larger to remember the 20 years that Dinesa had helped other people. TTC chair Karen Stintz and Ward 19 councillor Mike Layton (Trinity Spadina) will attend along with Ethiopian community and church leaders. The vigil will be held outside the station on Concord Ave., just west of Ossington.