GUELPH -- Friends and family say 27-year-old Nick Tanti is gone too soon.
Many shared memories of him at the Guelph man’s funeral on Saturday, a week after he was fatally stabbed downtown.
“He would always put a smile on you with his laugh,” said friend Jhonathan Rosales. “I think everybody’s going to remember that.”
Lucas Venuto said his best friend Tanti always had his back, and even drove his mother to the hospital for treatment when she was sick.
“He wasn’t just a best friend of mine,” he said. “If he was friends with you he was your best friend. It wasn’t like a passing friend. He was someone that impacted everyone.”
Tanti’s mother Sharon says that the past week has been blurry as she’s been on autopilot trying to get through this.
“Some of his shenanigans were a little bit crazy,” she said. “He had a lot of fun with his friends.”
Justin Hack was friends with Tanti since Kindergarten. He says he’s going to remember, “all the days playing Runescape, biking around the neighbourhood, and getting into trouble.”
In Lieu of flowers, the family asked memorial contributions to be made to the Guelph Minor Football Association. Tanti played in the organization for many years.
“He was known to have a bit of a tough guy aura about him,” said Venuto. “But he was someone who got along with everyone didn’t matter who you were or what you looked like.”
Police say Tanti was involved in a confrontation on MacDonell Street just before 2 a.m. that ended with him being stabbed. He was later taken to hospital but died from his injuries.
Brothers Angus Kee, 22, and Aiden Lee, 26, have been arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
