Healing walk planned after pair of fatal crashes near North Battleford
CBC
A walk to take place near North Battleford, Sask., this weekend is meant to help channel the grief rippling from a pair of fatal crashes on Highway 4 earlier this month.
On the afternoon of July 5, there were two separate deadly crashes that killed five people in all — three of them under the age of six.
Indigenous advocate Krista Fox remembers the day clearly.
"I live right across the street from the hospital and that day, July 5, was total chaos," she said. "You could just feel it."
Fox is close friends with the mother of Kelsea Tipewan, who died in the second crash. Fox said she woke up determined to help in any way she could.
After receiving the blessing of both families affected by the crashes, she and her co-organizer Michael Pooyak-Collins decided to put together what they're calling a Highway to Healing walk.
It's set for Saturday and Sunday of this weekend, and will trace the road where the crashes took place.
"I just want families first and foremost to know that they're not alone. They're in a very dark time right now," Fox said.
"There are people across Indian Country and across Turtle Island who have heard their story and are supporting in any way that they can."
On July 5 at around 12:45 p.m. CST, a van and a truck collided on the stretch of road between Cochin and North Battleford, killing Nicole Gladue, 48, and two children: six-year-old Dominic Ritchey and five-year-old Asher Patterson-Ritchey.
The children's grandmother and primary caregiver, Georgette Dryden, was hospitalized with serious injuries after the crash.
All four come from Flying Dust First Nation, near Meadow Lake, Sask.
The second crash came about two hours later.
At 3:15 p.m. CST, a motorhome and an SUV crashed on Highway 4, this time about seven kilometres south of Battleford.
