Son of La Loche shooting survivor remembers mother’s struggle, resilience

A Saskatchewan woman who survived a deadly shooting in La Loche seven years ago has died.

In a post shared on Facebook on May 17, Jeffery Klyne said his mother, Charlene Klyne, had passed away. Jeffery, his brother James and his father were by her side.

Jeffery, a teacher like his mom, said his mother always gave back to the community.

“Mom was one of the most caring people that I know,” Jeffery said. “She would give anybody anything before she would help herself.”

She often took her work home with her, in the form of helping students whenever they needed it “be it in the middle of the night that a student had an issue,” Jeffery recalled.

On Jan. 22, 2016, four people were killed and seven others — including Klyne — were hurt in a shooting spree in La Loche.

Two brothers were killed at their home, and a teacher and teacher’s aide were shot to death at the La Loche Dene High School. A then-17-year-old boy was arrested and charged.

The shooting significantly changed Charlene’s life. Jeffery said his parents likely would’ve never moved away from La Loche if it hadn’t happened.

The shooting changed his parents’ plans and what his mother was able to do. Charlene lost her eyesight, lost some body function and saw an impact on her abilities to move and speak. Jeffery said she always had issues with her voice and body after 2016.

“It really impacted her quality of life,” he said.

Lingering complications from those injuries led to Charlene’s death. Jeffery said gunshot pellets in her neck from the shooting had affected her vocal chords and eventually led to asphyxiation. Before she passed, Jeffery said she got sick in the middle of the night and was unable to breathe. She was found in the morning unresponsive.

Charlene was resuscitated but remained on life support.

“She was one of the toughest people I know,” Jeffery said of his mom, calling her resilient throughout her life and especially in the days of counselling and sadness after the shooting.

His mom struggled to get the supports she needed after the shooting, too, requiring help to make her home more accessible, funding to go to Brandon for an eye surgery and massage therapy that gave her the ability to move.

Jeffery said it made Charlene and her family aware of the difficulties workers face trying to get help after they are injured in the workplace in Saskatchewan, and led to Charlene’s advocacy work for herself and other victims in the wake of the shooting.

“It’s really a shame that everything has to be fought for,” Jeffery said. “Nothing came easy … This was all Mom’s advocacy efforts.”

Now, Jeffery knows his mom’s death is another result of that tragic day in January 2016.

“I don’t think Mom ever got the justice that she deserved,” he said.

While his mom’s passing is difficult, Jeffery said his family is getting through thanks to support from neighbours, former colleagues of his parents and other family members.