ARVIAT/CHESTERFIELD INLET - While the killer storm that raged across the Kivalliq region this past week claimed the life of an Arviat man, a Chester elder escaped its massive fury.

Chesterfield Inlet elder Louis Autut, wellknown for his work with Chester youth, was found by rescuers just outside his community this past week after spending more than 29 hours in blizzard conditions. - NNSL file photo

Cliff Shamee, 24, was trying to get to a grocery store in Arviat on Wednesday, Nov. 17, when he became disoriented in the weather.

The winds were gusting at about 90 km/h and the windchill had dropped to 45 C when Shamee tried to make it to the store.

His snowmobile was found outside of town later that evening, and searchers found his body about four kilometres southeast of Arviat shortly before 9 a.m. the following morning, Nov. 18.

The news was better in Chesterfield Inlet when searchers found elder Louis Autut sitting upright on the ground at about 7:35 p.m. on Nov. 18.

Autut, 74, had become so cold and tired he couldn't continue trying to reach his community.

He was taken back to Chester by snowmobile and checked at the health centre.

Autut was then sent to the Rankin Inlet Regional Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition while being treated for frostbite on both feet and one wrist.

Continued bad weather following the blizzard had been hampering searchandrescue (SAR) efforts to locate the elder.

Autut and fellow elder Joe Issaluk left Chester on Nov. 17 to retrieve a snowmobile that had been left at Qanak Lake, about eight kilometres away, when they were overcome by the storm.

Issaluk made it back to town on his machine after being separated from Autut.

The search for Autut was conducted on the land by Canadian Rangers and Chester SAR members.

Cpl. Mario Turcotte of the Chesterfield Inlet detachment of the RCMP said searchers went out looking for Autut at about 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 18.

He said the searchers left as soon as the wind calmed down a bit, and never gave up in their attempts to locate Autut.

"Nobody had a chance to speak with him much, but, by his footprints, we suspect he knew where he was when he touched the waters of Hudson Bay," said Turcotte.

"At that point he knew which direction he had to go, but he had become so weak he couldn't walk anymore.

"He took shelter behind a knoll and that's where he was located.

"The searchers saw no trace of his machine while looking for him."

Victor Sammurtok teacher Glen Brocklebank has worked with Autut on a number of activities with Chester youth.

He said the community was overjoyed when word spread of his being found safely.

"Louis is a huge supporter of our school, and he loves to work with the kids," said Brocklebank.

"He's been involved in a number of our programs, including kayaking and our science camp.

"He tells a lot of stories and the students respond well to him, so he's been a huge and valuable resource to us.

"Everyone was super happy when he was found."

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