Yellowknife Inn



 Features

 Front Page
 News Desk
 News Briefs
 News Summaries
 Columnists
 Sports
 Editorial
 Arctic arts
 Readers comment
 Find a job
 Tenders
 Classifieds
 Subscriptions
 Market reports
 Handy Links
 Best of Bush
 Visitors guides
 Obituaries
 Feature Issues
 Advertising
 Contacts
 Today's weather
 Leave a message


SSISearch NNSL
 www.SSIMIcro.com

NNSL on CD

. NNSL Logo
SSIMicro
Home page text size buttonsbigger textsmall textText size Email this articleE-mail this page

Celebration of a young life

Andrew Rankin
Northern News Services
Published Monday, October 12, 2009

INUVIK - Just after Mary Leigh Firth affixed the last photo of Burton Keevik to the wall of the community hall on Saturday afternoon, she turned around slowly, her head bowed slightly, wearing a soft smile.

The picture she displayed of her late friend portrayed a smiling 14-year-old boy. That's the way she remembers Keevik.

"He was always happy," said the 16-year-old. "I miss his happiness the most. He was always really nice."

About 40 residents, mostly kids Keevik's own age, gathered at the venue to say a formal goodbye to their mischievous, good-natured friend who drowned in the Mackenzie River last July.

Saturday's event, which marked three months since the tragic accident, was put on by the Youth Centre where Keevik spent time and was active as a volunteer. But instead of it being called a memorial, organizers labelled it a celebration of a boy who shared his positive energy freely.

"We grew up in Inuvik together," said Keevik's longtime friend Robert Cardinal. "We went to school together. He was a good friend. We were just great friends his whole life.

"It's so sad. He was so young."

Tali Warrington was one of several volunteers from the centre who organized the event, which included a meal, several tribute speeches and group visit to Keevik's gravesite.

She said it was important to everyone involved to celebrate the good Keevik brought to the world. She hoped this would be a way for many grieving youths to find some healing.

"He was really special to us," she said. "He'd always have my son with him. He was a great friend. This event is a way to let him rest in peace. This is our goodbye."

Copies of the poem Miss Me But Let Me Go were passed around to all in attendance.

We welcome your opinions on this story. Click to e-mail a letter to the editor.