I’m sitting here, listening to Tish Hinojosa singing, fingers poised over the key board, thinking about a young man in Hay River who I never knew, thinking about family, and thinking about the many things I have to be grateful for in my life. I’m also thinking about a wife who is living through her worst nightmare and a nine month old girl who will never know her father.
Chris Worden was a five year veteran of the RCMP when he was shot and killed early Saturday morning, responding to a call for help in Hay River NWT. Deaths of members of the Force always hit close to home, this one literally. I spent two years in the neighbouring detachment of Fort Providence. I spent a good deal of time in Hay River, I know it well, and know many members who had worked there. "G" Division is a small division, it doesn’t take long to get to know most of the members in it. People I worked with there are still there, in fact one of my troopmates is the media relations member in Yellowknife. His is the face you see reporting on developments in Chris’ murder, no doubt he knew him as well.
Traditionally I make a post on the many things in my life I’m thankful for on Thanksgiving. I think I’ll leave that for another day. I am grateful for life, for having a wife who loves me, for watching my children grow. I wish that Chris Worden would still be around to be grateful for those in his life also.
I guess we need to take a moment to be grateful for the women and men, who get those calls for help at 5:00 am, kiss their spouse goodbye, perhaps look in on a sleeping baby, and head out into the dark unknown. They go to try and make someone’s life a little better, and sometimes they don’t come back.
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Garth’s cousin is in the R.C.M.P., now working as a detective instead of the front lines, to his mother’s relief. His first posting was Paulatuk.
He knew Chris Worden.
We, too, have colleagues that knew Chris Worden.
And we mourn the loss of another member. It brings into such stark reality what I try to keep buried in the back of my mind each shift. What if….what if…
We lived in Hay River for two years prior to here and we always hung out with the RCMP. Many of our friends down there were close to Chris and are so upset. And having a child of my own now, I cannot imagine what his wife will be going through. It brings me to tears to think about it.
Clare, Having worked with RCMP members, knowing how essential to our northern communities and getting to know them both personally and their families, very often with young children, I have nothing but respect for them. This loss is so very tragic.
Laura,
The RCMP family is truly a small one. Put three members from opposite ends of the country together in a room and they’ll find connections to each other. That is one of the reasons we feel deaths like Chris’ so profoundly.
Karyn,
My thoughts always seem to turn to “there but for the grace of god, go I”. Every time a member is killed I think. How many times did I go on those calls at 5 am by myself… “I’ll let the other’s sleep, this isn’t such a big deal.”
Kara,
It is heart wrenching thinking about a young girl who will never know her father’s smile.
Bonnie,
It truly is tragic