INUVIK - Standing on the shore of the Mackenzie River, 14-year-old Burton Keevik payed tribute in a short video captured 10 months ago to his mother who grew up living on the land.

He drowned in the same river on July 6. The three-minute video titled Living on the Land has since been posted on YouTube.

Burton Keevik, 14, who drowned in the Mackenzie River earlier this month, is remembered as a lively boy with a promising future. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photos

One of Burton Keevik's mentors said the 14-year-old was "gifted and had a bright future" until his young life came to a tragic end.

"He was so creative and had this rare openness and curiousness about him," said Megan Hames, a program co-ordinator at the youth centre, which Burton visited virtually each day it was open.

That's where he got the camera to shoot the video, along with another 10-minute film in which the proud Inuvik resident conducted several humour-laden interviews with residents and visitors on their thoughts about his hometown. The piece, titled Burton Keevik, which is also posted on YouTube, also pays tribute to the youth centre through the voices of the kids and its employees.

Hames first met Burton about a year ago when she was hired to manage the Shivers lounge at the Mackenzie Hotel. At the time the 14-year-old worked as a kitchen helper and it didn't take long for the two to establish a connection.

"I had a great relationship with Burton," said Hames. "He was a joker, extremely charismatic and an absolute flirt."

Often the mischievous teen would joke about how jealous her boyfriend would be if he knew the amount of time they spent together. On occasion he would braid her hair.

A few months ago she moved over to the youth centre where the pair interacted on a daily basis. It was in that position she saw another of Burton's talents.

"He was so fabulous with the younger children at the centre and he was always watching out for them and taking the time to talk to them and acknowledge that they were there. He was tender with them."

Bernie Bernhardt, 13, frequented the youth centre as well and echoed Hames' sentiment.

"He was nice to everybody. He respected everybody," said Bernhardt. "If I was by myself he would ask me to play pool all the time."

On the same morning Burton's body was discovered, staff and kids constructed a display in his memory, which they signed and affixed to the wall for others to do the same.

Hames, who was devastated by Burton's death, thinks alcohol could have played a role in it. She said in her position she works with many troubled youth and has come to realize that alcohol use among younger teens has become a serious problem the community must address.

"It would be great if the community could pull together to try to help eradicate the problem, to keep an eye out for each other, you know," she said.