(Ottawa, ON) February 23, 2021 – On this week’s Roots & Hoots episode, LHF host, Gordon Spence, is joined by special guest Tommy Weenusk, a Residential School Survivor who shares a tragic story that occurred in 1972 when a plane crash claimed the lives of fellow students from his community. Tommy discusses the tragedy and the healing process that has been ongoing since the accident.

Tommy is a member of the Bunibonibee Cree Nation located along the eastern shoreline of Oxford House, Manitoba. Tommy has held the positions of Chief and Councillor in his community up until his retirement just a few years ago. He discusses a bit of his early life and his experiences in Residential School and how he and other students were welcomed upon relocating to Stonewall, Manitoba to attend school. When tragedy struck in 1972, Tommy tells how his family and community came together to grieve the loss of life as a collective; showcasing the value and closeness of community during times of need.

“We are so thankful to have Tommy this week’s episode. We are amazed by his emotional strength and appreciate him sharing such a tragic story with us and with the world. It’s an important story that reminds us of the value of our communities in times of crisis and tragedy and shows us that healing is a collective effort.” said LHF’s Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel, Teresa Edwards.

To listen to Tommy’s full story, visit: https://legacyofhope.podbean.com/

The LHF is a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for 20 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and existing intergenerational impacts of the Residential and Day School Systems and subsequent Sixties Scoop on Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) Survivors, their descendants, and their communities to promote hope and healing in Canada. The LHF works to encourage people to address discrimination and injustices in order to contribute to the equity, dignity, and respectful treatment of Indigenous Peoples and to foster Reconciliation. The LHF also has 20 exhibitions available for loan which can be shipped across Canada. For more information about the LHF visit the Legacy of Hope Foundation website at www.legacyofhope.ca.

The LHF is working on making its other exhibitions available on line. LHF also has curriculum from K-12 and for adults, along with Activity Guides, and offers Workshops aimed at educating Canadians about Indigenous history and the shared history of Residential and Day Schools, the Sixties Scoop, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The LHF works to develop empathy and understanding so as to eliminate racism and foster Reconciliation in Canada.

For media inquiries:
Teresa Edwards, B.A. JD.
Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel
Legacy of Hope Foundation
Phone:  613-237-4806 Ext. 303 info@legacyofhope.ca