Joakim Loh, the father of a popular Scarborough teacher who died suddenly this month, says he doesn’t care about the $13,000 in cash stolen from his car just two days before his son’s funeral.

All Loh hopes for is the return of the camera containing photos of his son from a family vacation in October.

“My passport, my wallet, I can replace, but the camera is non-replaceable,” Loh said on Sunday, the day after his son Raphael’s funeral. “You can keep the cash, you can keep the jewelry. But those photos mean a lot to us.”

Loh, 67, was in the parking lot at Agincourt Mall near Kennedy Rd. and Sheppard Ave. E. on Thursday morning when he left the car to get lunch. When he returned, the black leather messenger bag containing his wallet, passport, and a camera full of photos of his son was missing. The bag also contained $13,000 in cash for the funeral and a Chinese reception for friends and family at a local restaurant.

Loh reported the theft to police, who said they are investigating the incident.

“It was devastating to find out. The camera had all of the pictures of my son from our last trip on the cruise,” he said. “We’ve cried and cried and cried. My eyes are swollen.”

Raphael Loh, a long-term supply teacher at St. John Paul II Catholic Secondary School, died from an apparent complication related to appendicitis on Jan. 14 at the age of 31. He is survived by his wife Leena, sister Victoria and parents.

Tributes are still pouring in from students and friends of the beloved teacher, best known for going out of his way to help students.

Growing up, Loh said he taught his son to do a good deed every day.

“Throughout his professional life, he did many good deeds. He paid for lunches for students, he paid for expenses, for kids to go to leadership camp,” he said. “All his kind words, his encouragement, those good deeds came back to him on Saturday.”

Loh said hundreds attended his son’s visitation on Friday and the next day, around 1000 people packed Chapel Ridge for the funeral service.

“It was just incredible,” he said

Loh said police analyzed his vehicle for fingerprinting and will check nearby security cameras for potential suspects. However, he said police were doubtful, as the cameras are likely aimed at entrances, not the parking lot.

“There’s nothing much we can do,” he said. “But it’s only money. We have our lives. We have our health.”

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As he grieves, he hopes his son’s students will honour his legacy with kindness.

“Do one good deed a day,” he said. “Open the door for someone, help someone out. That’s what he did.”