DRYDEN — “We will mourn together, and we stand beside you during this unimaginable time of grief for this family,” said Dryden Mayor Jack Harrison the day after two children drowned in the Wabigoon River.
The hearts of the entire community are together, said Harrison, following the death of the siblings, a brother and sister aged 15 and 12.
“Very tragic news of the death of two children in our community. It’s really hard, and on behalf of council, I want to extend our deepest condolences to the grieving family.
“I would ask that everyone respect their privacy at this point,” Harrison said.
When a tragedy like this is looked at, words are never enough, he said.
“This tragedy does remind us of the preciousness of life and the importance of looking out for one another, and just encourages our community to come together and support a reflection of this event and kindness to everybody in our community during this time,” he said.
First responders were quick to act, said Harrison, although the outcome was tragic.
“I want to take the time to express my sincere appreciation for the first responders that came upon the scene. The police, our firefighters, as well as our EMS personnel, acted very quickly, professionally, and coordinated their actions with great compassion.
“That commitment to preserving life, even the most difficult circumstances like yesterday, is something we don't take for granted, so we thank them for their action."
Water is an integral part of the community, and although the danger is known, it’s taken for granted sometimes, Harrison said.
“This incident happened just behind our arena and our swimming pool fitness centre. It's something that we need to remind ourselves of.
“It’s important that we always realize the dangers of water,” he said.
With Dryden being a smaller community, Harrison said events like this make the community reflect.
“I think we really just need to stop and think about our how we go about our lifestyle and make sure that we put in safeguards ... unfortunately, these strategies may really reflect on our lifestyle, make sure that we live as safely as we can and still enjoy the great outdoors that we have in this area,” he said.
