Plans for permanent Samwel Uko memorial underway after current tribute wrecked

A group called Black in Sask says it is working on a permanent memorial in Wascana Park for Samwel Uko, who died in May 2020, after the current memorial placed on the shoreline was wrecked sometime this past weekend.

Uko, a 20-year-old university football player from Abbotsford, B.C., died on May 21, 2020. His body was found in Wascana Lake.

Uko's family said he died by suicide. He had been turned away at the Regina General Hospital when seeking help for his mental health earlier on the day of his death. 

A handmade memorial was set up on the Wascana Lake shoreline, where witnesses had said Uko entered the water the day he died.

"It bothered us but it's not surprising," said Muna DeCiman, an advisor to Black in Sask in Regina.

"As a racialized person, you always expect something bad: you always check over your back ... you are reminded constantly that things might go wrong."

She said Black in Sask is working on constructing a permanent memorial to Uko. DeCiman is hoping it will be a bench and plaque located in the same place as the current memorial, on the north side of the lake near Broad Street.

It's an expensive endeavour and a long-term goal, but she hopes that something permanent can be built to commemorate Uko by the end of 2023.

"[If] the plaque is there and you can sit down and really reflect, you know?" she said. "I think they will not be able to remove that."

Frances Werry said she walks the park nearly every day. On Sunday she passed Uko's memorial at about 7:45 a.m. CST. She said she often pauses there because of how Uko had believed to have died.

"Seeing Samwel's memorial destroyed, it was terrible. It was just one more thing that has been brought about by all the stress in society right now, I think," she said of his death.

"To see something as important as a memorial from his family and friends, to see it mindlessly taken apart, was really sad."

Werry said there was a large cross-like wreath which had seemingly been torn off its stand and thrown toward the lake. 

When asked if she thought it could have been heavy winds, she said there were a lot of footsteps in the snow encircling the memorial that made it appear as if someone had intentionally wrecked it.

"It looks like it was purposely done," she said.

Her daily walks around the park have become a reflection on mental health issues in the city.

The memorial is across Wascana Lake from where Tristen Durocher erected a teepee and held a 44-day fast in front of the provincial legislature in the summer of 2020 to protest the government's decision to shut down a suicide prevention bill.

"You can't help but mark the places that you're aware of all these issues around mental health," Werry said. 

"It's just an ongoing issue that really needs our attention."

Cheryl Stadnichuk, Regina city councillor for Ward 1 which includes Wascana Park, said she was "shocked" to hear about the trashing of the memorial. 

"It was clearly a memorial and to damage it, it's very disrespectful," Stadnichuk said.

A member of the public had passed the memorial on Saturday morning and said it was intact. By 9:45 a.m. CST on Sunday, someone had repaired it.

A public inquest into Samwel Uko's death, originally scheduled for late September, was postponed because of COVID-19 concerns.

If you're experiencing suicidal thoughts or having a mental health crisis, help is available. For an emergency or crisis situation, call 911. You can also contact the Saskatchewan suicide prevention line toll-free, 24/7 by calling 1-833-456-4566, texting 45645, or chatting online.

You can contact the Regina mobile crisis services suicide line at 306-525-5333 or Saskatoon mobile crisis line at 306-933-6200.

You can also text CONNECT to 686868 and get immediate support from a crisis responder through the Crisis Text Line, powered by Kids Help Phone.

Kids Help Phone can also be reached at 1-800-668-6868, or you can access live chat counselling at www.kidshelpphone.ca.