Child fulfils man's dying wish
Iqaluit girl, 12, responds to online plea by donating two flights to Ottawa
Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Monday, September 21, 2015
KIMMIRUT/LAKE HARBOUR
As cancer takes over his body, the family of Kimmirut's Bobby Barrieau is hoping to fulfill his dying wish to see his children one last time.
Bobby Barrieau, centre, and his wife Kitty Arlooktoo-Barrieau are in Ottawa, where he is in hospice. Kimmirut's Qaqqalik School principal Edward Flynn, a family friend, promised them all of their children would be in Ottawa to say goodbye to their father, who has cancer. His fundraising campaign led to a special gift. - photo courtesy of Jeanina Barrieau |
Iqaluit's Hannah Flanagan, 12, is helping get two of Barrieau's six children to Ottawa, giving the family two tickets from Iqaluit to Ottawa that she won in a draw in May.
"She very quickly donated to the Barrieau family because she wanted (the) family to be with their dad," said mom Koovian Flanagan. "They were free tickets she had won from the Rotary calendar draw and she knew they needed it more than we did. She is a great kid, the choice was totally up to her."
Koovian and Barrieau are childhood friends, Bobby's wife Kitty Arlooktoo-Barrieau said, so it's not exactly a gift from a complete stranger.
But the gesture is overwhelming, she said.
"Wow," she said when reached in Ottawa. "It's amazing. That sweet 12-year-old girl donated her winning tickets and I was so overwhelmed, we had tears of joy. We're so proud of that young girl."
Kimmirut's Qaqqalik School principal Edward Flynn found out about his friend's condition when one of the daughters, a student at Qaqqalik, stopped him at the grocery store to let him know Bobby wouldn't be coming back to Kimmirut again.
Flynn brought the family's plight to public attention by launching a fundraising campaign on the crowdfunding site GoFundMe. With a goal to raise $13,000 to fly five children to Ottawa - one is already there - Flynn's campaign raised almost $4,000 within the first day. Then Flanagan made her donation.
"I got that e-mail - just give me a second because it's quite emotional for a 12-year-old child to want to do this," he explained, saying a friend was to meet up with the Flanagan family Sept. 14 to hand over the tickets. "It's just unbelievable."
The trip - including hotels and meals - will be "extremely expensive," Flynn said, partly due to limitations on discounts for Inuit beneficiaries.
Support is coming from as far away as the United States to help the children, four of whom attend Flynn's school.
"It's a small community," he said, adding that a penny sale and other fundraisers are being held. "Everybody is chipping in."
"Ed has been a huge help," Arlooktoo-Barrieau said of the family friend. "I've known him to be so kind and helpful, especially to the people in need in our community, Kimmirut."
Flynn wants to see the children fly to Ottawa by Sept. 21.
"I promised the mother I would have them there by Monday, regardless of whether we hit the target or not," he said. "He's getting weaker by the day. It's urgent that the kids get down there."
