It’s been nine months since Frances Brown went missing in Smithers after she failed to return from a mushroom picking excursion near the Highway of Tears.
She was separated from the group. They all returned to the truck.
She did not.
After a series of extensive searches was headed up by RCMP, no trace of Brown was found.
Nephew Matthew Jefferson decided things need to be different.
Jefferson is making the trek from the Pacific to the Atlantic to renew awareness for the murdered and missing Indigenous women in Canada on his Walk to Remember.
He started his journey June 1 from Victoria, making his way to Tofino as part of his training, and will end his walk in St. John’s, Newfoundland in March.
Jefferson walked into Prince George Sunday morning, making a stop at the Lheidli T’enneh House of Ancestors on Third Avenue where he was able to reunite with his grandmother, several aunties and other relatives.
It was a poignant moment as Frances’ mother, Irene Brown, with few words and many tears, wrapped her arms around her grandson, Jefferson, to share the burden of grief over her missing child.
“It’s overwhelming to be here with my family and the love we share for each other and we all have to pull together,” Jefferson said. “To see my grandmother, it’s just huge.”
Jefferson is only weeks into his very long journey and will take time off to be with relatives.
“This is the icing on the cake,” he said. “This is a beautiful reception with so many of my aunties.”
Jefferson made the stop in Prince George a brief one before he headed to Moricetown to visit with family for three days. He will continue his journey after that, heading towards Jasper.
Jefferson wants to be able to reach more people to let them know the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women is ongoing.
“I have met thousands of people so far and I have yet tens of thousands to meet,” Jefferson said. “Change needs to happen.”
That’s on top of the biggest message he wants to send out.
“Work together,” Jefferson said. “Tear down whatever wall you put up. Work together and love one another.”
Irene Brown had no words to share in the midst of her grief and looked to her oldest daughter and sister to Frances, Virginia deWit, to speak on behalf of the family.
“This is very, very emotional because there is no closure,” deWit said. “But we still have hope that soon we will bring Frances home. This past nine months has been like a roller coaster of emotion. You don’t know what it’s like until you walk through it. I know there are many missing Aboriginal persons. As we go through this grieving we go through it with others who are grieving their missing loved ones, too. That’s what this walk is all about. We are hoping to raise awareness.”
