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'He was the centre of our lives'
Couple raise funds for Nunavut youth in honour of late adopted son

Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Thursday, June 11, 2015

IKALUKTUTIAK/CAMBRIDGE BAY
David and Laurie Pelly enjoyed their childless lifestyle and had no plans to change it.

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The late Eric Pelly and Laurie Pelly pose for a photo during Christmas 2013, when Eric was 18 years old. - Photo courtesy of David Pelly

They arrived in Cambridge Bay in 1995 and social services identified them as a stable couple with empty bedrooms, so they became foster parents.

That's how they met Eric Ayalik Okalitana Pelly, who changed their perspective on expanding their family.

"To put it bluntly, we'd fallen in love with the little guy," said David, referring to how Eric went from foster child to being adopted by the Pellys at age 6.

"When the opportunity presented, we said yes."

Eric grew up with the Pellys and eventually moved to Ottawa with them.

David said Eric had many challenges growing up, particularly dealing with how to retain his Inuit heritage in a southern environment, but through recreational programs was developing into a mature, strong adult.

"He was the centre of our lives," said David.

Eric played hockey at a competitive level, participated in youth abroad programs and went on outdoor challenges.

Eric had gotten his first full-time job and his first girlfriend and was thinking about travelling the world and starting college.

"He'd gotten through the most difficult years of transition and come out as a young adult and was stepping forward into the world with a real sense of confidence and taste for success," said David. "He had really turned out to be a fine young man."

But just when he was entering his prime, Eric died in his sleep on the night of Dec. 30, 2014, from a sudden cardiac arrhythmia.

The event has significantly affected the Pellys, but they are now using Eric's memory to provide opportunities to Nunavut youth just like the ones Eric had.

"It's really important for us to do this, to honour Eric's memory and just to see other kids who need a leg up to get one," said Laurie.

"Eric's legacy and memory is very important to us. He meant the world to us. Over many years we saw Eric blossom and grow and come closer to achieving his potential through programs that we're hoping to offer to other Inuit kids, particularly from Cambridge Bay. We are in our hearts doing something for Eric when we do this."

In collaboration with the Tides Canada Foundation, the Pellys have set up a fund for Nunavut youth to participate in youth programs. It has already raised over $150,000.

"Its purpose is to provide opportunities for Inuit youth from Nunavut to engage in confidence building, self-esteem building programs and activities that they would not otherwise be able to participate in largely because of financial reasons," explained Laurie.

She said she's surprised and delighted at how well the message has been taken up by friends and family.

"The fact that it aims to really help one child at a time through individual opportunity reaches and touches people's hearts," she said.

The Pellys are getting ready to make some of the first disbursements of the funds this summer, said David, but nothing is set in stone yet.

Find out more about the Ayalik fund at ayalikfund.ca.

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