Mother of orphaned toddler laid to rest in wake of Highland Park shooting

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- A community of the grief-stricken said a tearful goodbye to Irina McCarthy, who was killed alongside her husband in the Highland Park parade shooting.

Family and friends remembered her as a wonderful mother as they vowed to care for her now orphaned 2-year-old son.

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Mourners struggled to comfort one another as they came together for the Tuesday morning service at a Wilmette funeral home to celebrate McCarthy. The 35-year-old mother was killed in the Highland Park parade shooting along with her husband, Kevin.

"The pain is deep, the darkness is pervasive," Rabbi Dovid Flinkenstein said.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, along with the mayor of the North Shore community, were also in attendance.

"She was the most loyal friend you could always count on," family friend Brittany Chism said. "She always knew what to say and how to navigate any hurdle with ease and class."

The couple were the youngest among the seven people fatally shot during the Fourth of July celebration.

The couple's 2-year-old toddler son, Aiden, was found by a stranger and eventually re-united with his grandparents.

While pushing through their emotion, McCarthy's coworkers remembered her as a selfless, loving person, who put family first.

"We are all here today because of how Irina touched us in some way," co-worker Binita Choksi said. "We love you, Irina, we miss you and you will forever be in our hearts."

A GoFundMe established for the McCarthy's now orphaned son has received over $3 million in donations.

Irina was buried in nearby Skokie. Funeral arrangements for her husband Kevin are forthcoming.