Megan’s Memorial Walk aims to raise awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls

The third annual Megan’s Memorial Walk takes place at Joe Gallagher Field in Saskatoon on Sunday and Global News sat down with Megan’s father, Brian Gallagher, to talk about the event.

Brian said the walk starts at 10 a.m. and that they hope to raise awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG).

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“And in particular, our lovely daughter Megan Gallagher,” Brian said.

He said the issue of Megan going missing and being murdered was an issue within the whole community and across the nation.

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Brian said if you are an Indigenous woman, you are much more likely to go missing.

“If you’re an Indigenous woman, according to the national report, you are 19 times more likely to go missing or be murdered than a non-Indigenous person.

“Growing up in Saskatoon, growing up anywhere in Saskatchewan as an Indigenous person, we face a different set of realities.”

He said he knew this growing up, and he tried to prepare his daughters as much as he could.

“I tried to arm them as much as I could, but it still happened to us. And it can happen to anybody.”

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He said for this year’s walk they had to get creative and find some new sponsors, but said the community came together.

“We’re going to be able to provide lunch for people at the walk. We’re going to start at Joe Gallagher Field and we’re going to walk up Avenue P to 20th Street, down 20th to Avenue C, and then over to River Landing.”

Brian said Donny Parenteau will be performing at the walk as well, noting he’s a friend of the family and a big supporter of the MMIWG cause.

Joe Gallagher Field is named after Brian’s father, and he reminisced about his family spending time at that field.

“Megan and all of the kids spent countless hours at Joe Gallagher Field watching myself and my dad, and my nephew and my brother play ball there, and my sister on the occasion too.

“We grew up just a few blocks away from Joe Gallagher Field.”

He said it was renamed for his father due to his commitment to amateur softball in Saskatchewan.

“The significance is so deep. Softball has been in our family, it’s part of our existence and who we are.”