A candle light vigil attended by more than 200 people in La Ronge, Sask., on Tuesday night will help the healing process for a family who lost their daughter to suicide according to her mother.
“It’s just so wonderful to have all the support,” Linda Roberts said after the vigil.
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Her 14-year-old daughter Jadene Irving is one of six northern Saskatchewan girls to commit suicide in less than a month.
“I am from La Ronge, I see them every day just about, so it’s just really, really comforting,” she said about the people in attendance.
The vigil was planned by local students to show support for the families of the six girls. The evening included song, prayer, speeches from community leaders and words of gratitude from the parents directly affected by the tragedies.
“I hope it shows support and I hope it spreads awareness of how many people this does affect and how it affects not only Saskatchewan, but nation wide,” Amie Bell, one of the organizers, said.
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The most recent girl to commit suicide was 13-year-old Eileen Mispounas on Sunday in La Ronge.
Her father Bruce Mispounas said he lives hours west in Pinehouse and last saw his daughter five months ago.
“It’s pretty hard, devastating, especially when you’re from out of town and you hear the bad news,” Mispounas said after the vigil Tuesday.
“She was a good, loving, caring girl.”
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Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said on Tuesday afternoon that her community was in a state of crisis due to the suicides.
Later that night she urged those at the vigil to show strength in the face of tragedy and support each other.
“We need to reach out to our young people, we need to tell them that we love them, that we care about them,” Cook-Searson said.