Candice Laich-Grant remembers standing by Simon Grant's bedside in a La Ronge hospital, telling him she couldn't have asked for a better father.

Even though Grant was stuck in a coma — his brain bleeding after a vicious attack — Laich-Grant says she saw tears slide down his cheeks. She knew he'd heard.

Grant was attacked on April 15, 2017. He later died from his injuries.

One of Grant's attackers, a youth who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in January, appeared in court Monday in La Ronge for a sentencing hearing. His identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Court heard how Grant and his family had taken the youth in and looked after him before things unravelled.

Laich-Grant, now 15, wrote a victim impact statement about her father's death.

"I didn't know what to do. It was like I couldn't breathe," she wrote. "My whole life had changed forever. Nothing was going to be the same again."

Simon Grant and his daughter, Candice Laich-Grant, in the final hours before his death. (Submitted by Cora Laich)

Grant's wife Cora Laich said Grant, who owned Louisiana Bar-B-Que in La Ronge, had a difficult upbringing and had faced hardships, but never let his past destroy him.

Family takes in 16-year-old

Laich said the family had taken a 16-year-old youth under their wing after meeting him in 2016 and learning he was hungry and had nowhere to go for help. She said the family had helped other youth in the past.

Grant gave the boy food, a bedroom to stay in and clothes to keep him going.

Laich said the boy could go from an intelligent student to a raging monster in seconds. She said the youth began getting involved in drug dealing and crime.​ Laich said that the family, worried for their daughter, asked him to leave.

Despite the violent ending to her husband's life, Cora Laich said the couple would never have made any other choice than to try to help those in need. (Submitted by Cora Laich)

An agreed statement of facts was presented at the November 26 sentencing hearing.

The youth, along with two other boys, set upon Grant at the restaurant. Grant was battered with a baseball bat, leading to fatal injuries.

The Crown wants the youth, who is now 18, sentenced as an adult.

Two other people have already been sentenced in relation to Grant's death. A 14-year-old who pleaded guilty to manslaughter was sentenced to three years in Intensive Rehabilitative Custody. An 18-year-old who also pleaded guilty to manslaughter was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Animal torture allegations

During the hearing, the judge noted allegations of animal torture in Laich-Grant's victim impact statement. He ordered a psychiatric and psychological evaluations of the teenager and said the issue was a public safety concern.

The youth will remain in custody while these assessments are made. The matter was adjourned until December 13.

Laich said she hoped justice would be served and that the youth would be sentenced appropriately for his crime, but she also said she wouldn't reverse the family's decision to help him.

"Simon liked challenges," she said. "He was adamant he was going to be able to make a difference, and change [the youth's] cycle."

Over the years, the couple had reached out and helped several other people, with many more successes than failure, she said.

"I can't say I'd take it back. That's who we were."