Families continue to mourn the devastating loss of their loved ones in a pair of mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, last week. Robert Card, 40, killed 18 people and injured an additional 13, at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Just-In-Time Recreation on October 25. Police found Card dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound two days after the rampage amid a statewide manhunt. Although it was a relief to many that the gunman was dead, the families of his victims will never be the same.
Rachael Sloat is struggling to explain to her 2-year-old daughter that her dad, Peyton Brewer-Ross, 40, won't be coming home. Now, the single mom has to grapple with the devastating loss of the man she loved and is trying to keep his memory alive.
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Brewer-Ross was at Schemengees for his weekly cornhole night.
The doting dad was with friends at Schemengees when Card walked in and opened fire at the bar and grill minutes after he had killed seven innocent people at the bowling alley.
Sloat told People that Brewer-Ross was a cornhole enthusiast and a loving father to their daughter, Elle. She said he was the "most charismatic and loving person."
He was a fan of Superman, and Sloat believed he was a hero.
She said her fiancé was always there for others and was always willing to help. "If you ran out of gas in the middle of the night at 2 a.m. and called him, he would be there as soon as he could, he would drop anything he was doing to help out a friend," she shared.
Sloat remembered her fiancé as a hero to Elle, but it didn't take much effort. "Superman is what he wanted to be for her," she said. "He wanted to be her hero, and he already was, it wasn't a title that he had to earn."
The loss of the love of her life is hard, but watching Elle look for her dad is even more challenging.
Sloat explained to People that the father/daughter duo had routines, and bedtime was a treasured time for the pair. The toddler still doesn't understand what has happened, and Sloat's heart breaks, watching her little girl looking for her dad.
"They used to play a game when she would get ready for bed … and we'd stand at the top of the stairs and call down to him and say 'Daddy, where are you?'" Sloat told People. "He'd pop out at the foot of the stairs and go: 'Here I am!'"
Elle still stands at the top of the steps, but her daddy will never be there again.
The devastated mother said her daughter has great wisdom, even though she is so young.
Elle reportedly has moments when she appears pensive. Her mom said she would stay quiet and look around for her daddy. Sloat told People her daughter is "wise beyond her years" and still calling for "dada" to come home.
"She still is doing the call, and then he's not there," Sloat said. "So I'm having to kind of do it for him."
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Loved ones established a GoFundMe account for the family left behind.
Older brother Ralph Brewer asked for help for Sloat and Elle as they navigate a life without the man they love. "He leaves behind his partner in life Rachael, and their 2 year old daughter Elle. The loss of Peyton is devastating. Please help. All funds will go to help with funeral expenses and to assist Elle as she grows up without her father," he wrote on the page.
Donations have poured in for the family, totaling more than $92,000 of a
$100,000 goal. Donors shared their love and prayers on the site.
"The idea of a 2yr old girl knowing enough to miss her Daddy but not why he is gone is absolutely heartbreaking to me. God bless your family," one person wrote.
"I hope his partner and daughter can someday have peace. In the meantime, I hope they don't have to worry about paying bills, and that they can instead have the time to grieve. My heart breaks for you," another comment reads.
"From your coworker, who never met you and wishes he had the chance to. I hope this helps your family and your beautiful baby girl. Rest in peace, brother," someone else wrote.
Friends and family plan to honor his life on November 4. "Come celebrate Peyton Brewer-Ross an amazing father, fiancé, brother and friend!" the fundraiser reads.
