By Chelsea Laskowski

Marlene Bird speaking as assault tips come in

Jun 27, 2014 | 12:06 PM

Marlene Bird remains in a hospital bed in Edmonton, but this week she spoke for the first time since a shocking assault that left her burnt and cut.

In addition to a previously performed series of skin grafts to her lower back and buttocks and amputation to both legs, she is awaiting more grafts.

There are not yet any details on who burned and cut the First Nations woman’s face, on the morning of June 1 by the Margo Fournier Center.

Lorna Thiessen, the 47-year-old’s aunt, said Bird has been heavily sedated between surgeries. As such, Thiessen and Bird’s mother have given her a few days to recover between surgeries before driving from Saskatoon to the Edmonton hospital for several-day long visits.

Until this week, Bird had been intubated, meaning she couldn’t talk or eat on her own. She had been giving nods and moving her fingers to communicate with family and doctors between surgeries.

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But this week, the tube came out. The first thing Bird said to Thiessen was “oh hi aunty.”

“And I told her we were praying for her, we’ve been by her side 24/7 for the first two weeks, and I said ‘thank you.’ She started to tell me what happened and I said ‘don’t tell me, you can tell the police,’” Thiessen explained.

She’s not sure if Bird has been out of sedation for long enough to give a full statement, but saw police officers checking in several times.

Overall, Thiessen said Bird’s condition is improving. Her face was cut deeply in the assault.

“She’s looking much better, her face is recognizable now. She’s very positive.”

Reflecting on her trip to Prince Albert last week for the Brothers and Sisters Memorial Walk, hosted by Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) Women’s Commission,

Thiessen said the horrendous nature of the attack needs to be clear.

“People need to know that, they need to know that somebody’s out there, some people out there that are still at large… there is somebody out there that’s dangerous.”

At that walk Chief Edward Henderson, leader of Bird’s home community of Montreal Lake Cree Nation, announced that PAGC partnered with them to offer a reward for information leading to an arrest.

Half of the $2,000 reward has been put up by Montreal Lake Cree Nation, the other half from PAGC.

He said the announcement really drove home the point to the public that tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous.

“A lot more people are starting to call in now with a little bit of tips, or whatever tips they have,” Henderson said.

Prince Albert Police echoed that sentiment this week, but say they haven’t been substantial enough to lay any charges at this time.

Despite the lack of further information, support for Bird remains strong. This isn’t just in places like La Ronge, where “A Prayer for Marlene” meeting took place on Friday in La Ronge’s downtown park at 12:05 p.m. 

Thiessen adds that Bird isn’t yet aware of the national attention they’ve received, from walks planned in Saskatoon, Whitehorse, Yukon, and Thunder Bay, Ont. in July.

“We deliberately didn’t tell her what has happened… We just didn’t want to overwhelm her with all the information. I’ve been documenting day by day for her, saving all the clipping and everything in the media,” Thiessen said.

As for when Bird will find out about the support and attention her assault and recovery has received, Thiessen said she will speak with Bird’s psychologist about when it would be appropriate.

Thiessen said she’s been taking pictures of Bird as her condition improves, but won’t share them with the media until Bird has recovered from her injuries.

claskowski@panow.com

On Twitter: @chelsealaskowsk