Healing walk planned after pair of fatal crashes near North Battleford

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."

2 deadly crashes in less than 3 hours

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. 

Kelsea Tipewan, 29, and her infant son Jayce Swiftwolfe were both killed in the SUV. Rayne's three-year-old son and her brother were also in the car and were taken to hospital. All come from nearby Red Pheasant Cree Nation just south of Battleford. 

The driver of the motorhome and a woman who was a passenger were also taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

In the aftermath of the crashes, representatives from both families posted GoFundMe campaigns to help raise money for funeral costs and ongoing medical expenses for the survivors. 

Michele Wuttunee, aunt of Kelsea Tipewan, told the CBC that the family is grateful for the outpouring of support.

"We want to offer a huge thank you to all our supporters throughout Turtle Island and throughout the country, it's been overwhelming," she said.

Is the highway dangerous?

As with all fatal crashes, the province is promising to conduct a review into whether road conditions were a factor.

It's also drawing attention to plans to make the stretch safer — including new passing lanes to be added between North Battleford and Cochin — and to completed projects in the area, such as adding turn lanes and lighting in some places.

"We are in the planning stage of a proposed eight kilometres of highway twinning on Highway 4, north of North Battleford," added Ministry of Highways spokesperson David Horth.

Still, a leery feeling about the area where the crashes took place persists for some people.

"I do agree that they should divide the highway there," walk co-organizer Pooyak-Collins said.

"It goes back to 20 years ago, on the same highway, there was a tragic accident, and it continues to happen. I think dividing that highway and splitting it up would be a great thing for that community."

Pooyak-Collins has been working to gather sponsors and raise awareness about the plan for the healing walk.

"Within a couple of days, it started to snowball and it's now a huge thing," he said.