Family, friends of Ashley Morin walking from Saskatoon to North Battleford 2 years after disappearance

Family and friends of Ashley Morin gathered in front of Saskatoon police headquarters Friday morning to share stories, empowering speeches and songs before walking to North Battleford to raise awareness about her disappearance.

The second annual walk left around 11 a.m. exactly two years after Morin disappeared. On July 10, 2018, Morin was reported missing to RCMP. A press release issued on the first anniversary of her disappearance stated the case was being investigated as a homicide.

With participants wearing red shirts displaying a photo of Morin and the hashtag #BringAshHome, they chanted and sang as police and accompanying vehicles trailed behind for the journey that is expected to take three days.

Family friend and spokesperson Krista Fox said displays like Friday’s show the family isn’t giving up hope.

“We need to remind people that she’s still missing,” Fox said. “For those that are responsible for her disappearance, to remind them that we haven’t given up, we’re never giving up.”

“We will go to the ends of the earth to bring our girl home – whatever that may look like.”

Morin, who is from Ahtahkakoop First Nation, was 31-years-old when she went missing.

Fox said last year’s walk generated plenty of attention and tips coming to the family. She is hoping Friday’s walk will have similar results.

“If we’re not doing something like this, we’re sitting at home idle. As you can imagine, the pain gets worse, the hurt gets worse,” she said.

The family of Ashley Morin gathered before walking to North Battleford to raise awareness on the second anniversary of her disappearance. (Keenan Sorokan/650 CKOM)

Fox has been very thankful and appreciative of the efforts and support from the community. Dorothea Swiftwolfe, with the police victims services unit, has worked closely with the family. Fox thanked her and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) for their continued support.

Friday’s event started with numerous emotional speeches with songs from a couple of members of the Okihtcitawak Patrol Group, among others.

FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron was one of the first speakers to start the walk. He spoke of a similar situation his family is in after his nephew went missing roughly 15 years ago.

“That’s all we want as a family. We need peace in our minds, in our hearts, in our bodies and in our souls,” he said to the crowd.

Neil Sasakamoose hasn’t been able to coach soccer since Morin was last seen. The executive director of the Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs vividly remembers leaning on Morin’s leadership when the game mattered most when he first started coaching her 13-years ago. He said she rarely leaves his mind.

“This one affects me in my soul, right in my spirit,” he said.

Fox is hoping a renewed search in the area by Prince Albert Search and Rescue from July 24 to 26 will provide healing for the family.

Until then, her and roughly 50 other participants will walk to bring attention to the case.

“As you can imagine, it’s painful,” Fox said. “It’s not going to get better until we can bring her home.”