Community honours teenager

Youth centre named after Chailo Jadis following her death Oct. 3

Chailo Jadis’s name will never be forgotten in the community of P.E.I.’S Abegweit First Nation.

The 15-year-old died after she was hit by a pickup truck in Alexandra on Oct. 2.

A celebration of her life was held in Scotchfort on Oct. 3 that included a feast and a ceremony to rename the new youth centre after the teenager.

In an interview with Saltwire Network prior to the event, Chief Junior Gould said the building is now called Chai’s Place - Forever 15.

“It was really tough to lose a young member of the community,’’ Gould said. “It was really hard on everybody, from the support staff to the youth in the community. She had a lot of friends and got along with everybody in the community.’’

Gould said he was informed of the accident by RCMP and immediately activated the band’s crisis management team. That includes four clinicians who work around the clock, a family therapist, a spiritual leader and doctors who are on call.

Gould said reacting to the news and making sure proper protocols were in place quickly was essential because word of the tragedy spread fast.

“Social media is a terrible beast, so we were prepared

to deal with the community as far as getting our health centre and our tactical team ready,’’ he said.

John Crawford, principal at Morell Regional High School where Chailo was a Grade 10 student, said it was a tough first day back.

The school had been closed for a week due to the impact of post-tropical storm Fiona.

“It’s definitely difficult because we are such a small school,’’ he said, referring to the student population of 180.

“There are a lot of connections among students and staff, so you feel this, and it touches your life and that of so many others.’’

Chailo was one of the students Crawford got to know.

“She was a pleasant girl. She was quiet. She generally kept to her small circle of friends, but she was a good kid. This is just terrible.’’

Crawford said he contacted the teenager’s family on Oct. 2 to extend condolences and offer whatever help they needed.

“We also arranged to have a staff meeting (Oct. 3) and we were very fortunate that three members of the (First Nation) community were able to come in and give us some direction,’’ Crawford said, adding the Public Schools Branch sent grief counsellors to the school to work with its own counsellor and its youth service worker.

“They are providing support and direction for our teachers on how to approach conversations with students. They’ve also been here all day to answer questions and provide students with support who need it; those looking for a little bit of extra comfort.’’

The school also used one classroom as a drop-in centre for students to meet with a counsellor or just gather among themselves to share emotions they might be feeling.

Crawford said the decision to open the school, which had been closed for the week previous due to post-tropical storm Fiona, was made in consultation with the Public Schools Branch.

“The direction to proceed as normal was made, with counsellors in place,’’ Crawford said.

“We thought it was good to give the students some sort of structure and familiarity that might, actually in itself, be supportive.’’

CHAILO’S FAMILY

Saltwire Network attempted to contact her parents on Oct. 3, but there was no immediate response. However, Melissa Peter-paul, a cousin of Chailo’s father, described the teenager as someone who was very loved.

“She was always smiling and (had) the most beautiful smile ever,’’ Peter-paul told Saltwire Network in a private message via social media. “She was a very cool girl. She had her own style and rocked it. She was always with her best friends and very protective of them. The family is grieving. It is hard. But the community is coming together for them.’’

Kelly Sark, Chailo’s aunt, posted on Facebook Oct. 2 that her world was shattered.

“I still can’t believe it,’’ Sark said.

“Life is definitely not going to be the same and I have no idea why (the) Creator took her so soon. Just know baby em that I (have) always been proud of you and I’ll never stop loving you.’’

Saltwire Network also contacted the RCMP on Oct. 3, asking if there was any update on the investigation, but there was no immediate response.