Community remembers Marlene Bird

Black was recently sentenced to 16 years for the attempted murder. During his sentence hearing, Bird got to hear Black’s apology for the violent crime.

“I liked that apology,” Bird said afterward. “It feels good. I don’t have to have bad dreams, I hope.”

While she had not yet come to terms with her attacker, she said she would possibly forgive Black with the passage of time.

“I’m doing my best, because my mom told me to forgive people that do wrong,” Bird said. “I think I could forgive him.”

The case against Black was more remarkable in that Bird was prepared to bring matters into the public eye. Her identity was initially subject to a media ban imposed by the court, but she ensured the case garnered even more attention by coming forward with her story and being available for media interviews.

As a result Bird, who had struggled with alcohol issues, was rarely out of the spotlight given the high-profile nature of the court proceedings. But she was also in the community’s thoughts.

Bird, who had used a wheelchair and scooter since the assault, was again the victim of crime earlier this year when her scooter was stolen from her home in Timber Bay. Spinal Cord Injury Saskatchewan then donated a $3,500 unit to her. She was often seen being pushed around town by her partner Patrick who was regularly by her side.

But Bird had hoped to become even more mobile. She told paNOW she was hoping to receive prosthetic legs so she could be more independent.

Reflecting on her death, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), and the Prince Albert Grand Council’s (PAGC) Women’s Commission offered their condolences to the family through a media statement.

“Our prayers and thoughts are with the family during this extremely difficult time,” First Vice-Chief Kim Jonathan said. “Marlene is a true symbol of resiliency, and showed such bravery throughout the years of fighting for her recovery.”

The FSIN and PAGC statement added that Marlene Bird left the world surrounded by family at the Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert. She was a citizen of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation, and will be missed dearly.

“She was a heroic woman, whose strength inspired many, and we are deeply hurt to hear of her passing,” read the statement from the Women’s Commission of PAGC. “The loss of Marlene affects us all, and her courage will be admired forever.”

Troy Cooper, the chief of the Prince Albert Police Department said he knew Bird quite well and visited her in hospital Friday.

Bird was seen as a symbol of many important social issues, Cooper said, particularly violence against women. The police chief said she was more than just a well-known victim of crime, however, as she also displayed tremendous strength and perseverance throughout her life.

Cooper said the city rallied around her as a symbol of resilience, and her passing will be mourned by the entire community.

The fight in Bird was obvious to Donna Brooks with the YWCA in Prince Albert. She got to know Marlene well after the attack.

“As a community we all got to love her, and we all got frustrated with her sometimes because of her feistiness,” Brooks said with a laugh. “But we will all miss her… I will miss her.”

Brooks remembers Bird as a strong woman.

“After the attack, the community all had an idea of what we thought was best for Marlene,” Brooks said. “But what she taught me was that we had no right to decide that. We had to allow Marlene the dignity to choose her own path.”

Brooks said Bird was not afraid to tell her story; the good parts and the bad parts.

The community will be able to pay their last respects to Marlene Bird at a remembrance service at the Full Gospel Outreach Centre on Central Ave. tonight at 7:30 p.m.

–With files from Taylor MacPherson, Bryan Eneas and Nigel Maxwell.

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow

by Glenn Hicks

Community remembers Marlene Bird

What's Trending