Darry Burns held the widow of Damien Burns as he spoke public words of forgiveness. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

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‘We’re here to forgive’, James Smith man tells wife of Damien Sanderson

Sep 10, 2022 | 8:00 AM

For at least some of the family members of those killed on the James Smith Cree Nation last weekend, healing includes forgiveness.

Darryl Burns, the brother of first responder Gloria Burns who was one of the lives lost, took Sky Sanderson in his arms and forgave her during a press conference yesterday.

“Her husband is accused of killing my sister. Our family is here to forgive. This woman shouldn’t have to bear that kind of guilt and shame and responsibility,” said Burns.

Sky has been identified as the widow of Damien Sanderson; one of two brothers accused of the spree killing last Sunday.

Burns said he felt compelled to speak to the public.

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“I’m here to honour my sister. My sister was a member of the community response team and she responded to a call that morning. One of our rules is that you don’t go alone. She went alone that morning because a friend needed her help and that’s the kind of person my sister was,” he said.

It is the Indigenous way to forgive he said, so that is what he did and he was not alone as other family members also surrounded the weeping Sky and offered support.

“I told her that part of forgiveness is accepting the forgiveness of our community. Our community wants to forgive her and now it’s up to her to accept that forgiveness from us,” he said.

Speaking to all present, he said that all men and women are leaders and that can take different paths.

“We can lead our families into darkness, we can lead our family into addictions and violence, or we can lead them into sunlight, into happiness, into safe homes. It is our duty as native people to lead our children into a positive lifestyle where our community is safe. Where there are no more addictions, no more suffering. This tragedy did not have to happen. But it did,” he said.

Calling on community leaders, Burns said there needs to be more addictions centres, particularly for crystal meth, and it is up to them to lead the people into them.

“Damien was caught up in the life. He was caught up in the moment. But hearing the stories of Damien, he tried to stop it and he paid with his life,” he said.

The children of Christian Head also chose to speak during the conference, with one son saying he came to thank the RCMP for their response to the killings.

“I came to thank the RCMP, every single one of them. They left their families behind to come and help us. Help us grieve. We can finally grieve. A lot of people were chased out of their houses in our community, scared. Even with the cops around, we still didn’t feel safe. Every little bang, we wake up scared,” said the son.

“I came here to personally thank them from my family, my sister’s family, my brother. My family has been hit hard, every single one of us. My nieces and nephews, my uncles and aunties. The whole community, we’re all hurting,” he said.

“As a big brother, I’m trying to be here, I’m trying to be there, I’m trying to be everywhere. I don’t know how to mourn. I rarely cry, I don’t know to cry,” he said through tears.

He said the community needs to come together and push until they are heard in order to stop the violence.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com