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OTTAWA
Two young Arctic Bay men are being remembered with love after they drowned in the Ottawa River while escorting their parents for medical treatment in Ottawa.

Out for a walk along and in the river with friends late June 30, Solomon Oyukuluk, 26, and Ian Shooyook, 21, slipped under the surface, likely at a point where the riverbed drops off unexpectedly.

"We didn't want to believe it," said Meena Oyukuluk, Solomon's older sister. She travelled to Ottawa this week to escort his body, which was recovered July 3, and their mother Tootalie Qangoo home. "For a while we were hoping they'd find him alive down the river, but that wasn't the case."

Ian's sister Neevee also made the trip to help their father Isaac bring Ian's body, recovered July 2, home to Arctic Bay.

"We're trying to stay strong for Ian because he was always positive, and usually wouldn't get upset because he was happy," Neevee said. "We'll try to be happy. We're trying to respect him."

Both families are putting on a brave face for the young men, who disappeared after going for a walk with fellow Arctic Bay residents Sally, Wallis and Masiu Akpaliapik. The two men waded into a shallow part of the river, not knowing there is a steep drop-off at a certain point.

"I've been here 25 years, and I didn't realize there was such a drop-off," said Trudy Metcalfe-Coe, general manager of Larga Baffin, where the men were staying with their parents. "You can walk out for quite a distance and all of a sudden there's a drop where the riverbed goes down, just unexpected. Once you lose your footing, that was it."

In a statement, Ian's father said his son, whom he called an "angel," was "so excited" to be making his first trip to Ottawa. He arrived the night before his death.

Oyukuluk was a more experienced traveller to the nation's capital, making two prior trips to escort family members for medical treatment.

"He loved Ottawa," Meena Oyukuluk said. "The first couple of times he was really excited, but the last time, he was especially excited. I know he was happy right to the end, so I'm really happy about that."

Recognized as a sharpshooter during his time as a Canadian Ranger, Solomon Oyukuluk was quiet but enjoyed many aspects of life in Arctic Bay.

"He loved to dance, either square dance or teen dances," Meena said. "He loved to go out hunting, especially seal hunting and narwhal hunting. My father's Ski-Doo isn't in mint condition so he's always fixing the Ski-Doo. He's been taking care of my younger sisters and he's just always there."

He recently returned from a successful caribou hunt, the rewards of which will be cherished.

"He brought that home, so we still have a bit of that caribou meat," she said. "I'd say we're going to be savouring it for a nice while."

Shooyook - the youngest of 12 children - was remembered as having a special place in his mother's heart.

"My mom would even cut up his meals," his sister Neevee said. "When he wakes up in the morning, his breakfast is ready, his lunch is ready, his coffee is ready. My mom was the one always giving it to him."

She said he was very caring and helped his parents on camping trips. He was looking forward to graduating high school, and often came to her for guidance about applications for youth programs. He enjoyed photography and was involved in videos, including the popular YouTube music video Don't Call Me Eskimo.

"Very open-minded, and he was so easy to get along with," Neevee added, noting his love for family. "He loved all the kids, our nieces, nephews and cousins. He always had time to spend with them."

Relatives of both men are expected to converge on the hamlet for the funeral. The sisters and parents were set to return the men's bodies Saturday after the completion of autopsies. Before their return, the families paid tribute to the men in Ottawa.

"We went down to the river where they drowned, and we had a small memorial service," Meena Oyukuluk said. "A lot of people have been dropping off beautiful cards and flowers."

One gift, a painted feather in a glass container, will get a place of honour at Larga Baffin, she said, where it will hang on the wall with photos of the two men.

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