Teddy bears placed in honor of the 215 residential school victims (Photo courtesy Teagan Rasche)

By Teagan Rasche

Remembering lives lost

Local children place teddy bears in front yard, hope others will follow

Jun 1, 2021 | 4:22 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The tragic discovery of 215 victims found buried at a Kamloops residential school has communities mourning.

As a way to honor the lives lost, people are encouraged to place teddy bears in front of their homes.

The news of the residential school remains hit Medicine Hat resident Heather Brooks hard. The grandma of 10 couldn’t imagine anything like that happening to her family.

She was delighted when her 8-year-old grandson came home from school and asked if he could place teddy bears in their yard as a way to remember.

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“They were the first ones who said let’s put teddy bears up grandma,” Brooks said. “Then I said well you guys go find your teddy bears and grandma will hang your teddy bears.”

Brooks says she hasn’t seen anyone else in the city doing this yet and she hopes her grandchildren can inspire others to do the same.