First Nation 'devastated' after elder dies in crash with train

Every morning when the school doors opened at Ochapowace Nation, Albert Isaac was there in his wheelchair with his smudge bowl, greeting people.

The 65-year-old would go from class to class to pray and smudge with the students of Kakiswiew School, said Nicole Bear, director of education for Ochapowace, a Cree nation about 155 kilometres east of Regina.

Isaac wasn't at the school on Monday. On Sunday, the elder died at the scene after the vehicle he was driving collided with a train east of the village of Waldron, Sask., at the Highway 9 rail crossing. Waldron is about 155 kilometres northeast of Regina.

Isaac's three grandchildren who were with him in the vehicle were severely injured and are being treated in hospital in Saskatoon, according to the Ochapowace Nation.

"The whole nation is devastated," said Nicole Bear.

"Lots of questions going through everybody's heads. How could this happen? You know, it's so sad for that to happen and just so quick and so tragic."

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, RCMP said on Monday.

Community fundraising to support family

The community's health department organized a GoFundMe page to support the family of the three injured children with the expenses while they stay in Saskatoon. 

An update on Wednesday from the GoFundMe page said one of the children had brain surgery that "went well" and will now focus on recovery. A second child, who sustained a crack in his neck, was also undergoing pelvis and bladder surgery.

The third child was discharged with injuries including a broken clavicle.

As of Thursday morning, the campaign had collected $6,685. Ochapowace and the family of the children say they would like to acknowledge all the generous financial contributions received and continue to flow in.

Elder was a mosôm for the students at Kakiswiew School

Isaac was very involved in his community.

He was particularly active at the Kakiswiew School, where he was an Elder and mosôm – a grandfather – for the children.

For more than 20 years, Isaac served the First Nation's school community in various roles, including as a school bus driver, a drumming instructor and a targeted behaviour EA, teaching children about culture and language, said Nicole Bear.

"He has a special role for us at the school," she said. "His life was dedicated to singing, powwow, dancing, praying. He was just such a great person."

Losing Isaac has been hard for the students and the school community. During the last eight years he worked as a cultural advisor as well as an EA. Isaac was one of eight elders coming to Kakiswiew School every day, said Nicole Bear.

"Those elders that come in, they work with our students, they are just as important as any other teacher in high school," she said. 

A councillor and a cowboy

Outside of his engagement at the school and daycare, the 65-year-old man was also a leader. Isaac served as a councillor for 12 years, according to Chief Margaret Bear. He was one of the senior people – the kehteyak – in the community, she said.

"They are our knowledge keepers, our historians," she said.

"Albert, he was quite involved and immersed into his cultural traditions [and] ceremonies."

Isaac was also a powwow singer with the Crooked Lake Agency, the chief added.

Isaac's resume was packed with diverse experiences and skills.

"The other thing people don't know about Albert is that he was also a cowboy in his early years," said Nicole Bear.

"The horse culture was very important to Albert, and he liked to have horses to be part of celebrations."

'We are going to miss him,' says chief

Due to the ongoing investigation and autopsy, the community hasn't been able to set a funeral date yet, Chief Bear said.

In the meantime, family and friends are gathering and supporting each other at the home of Isaac's mother, she added.

Chief Bear said she knows Isaac is in a good place now.

"We are going to miss him," she said.

"Many of his good friends are on the other side already, and I know that he's rejoicing and loving it over there."