John Henderson, of the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw First Nations, wants to raise awareness about the heartbreaking challenges confronting his community of 1,100 members near Port Hardy.
In March, the First Nations declared a state of emergency after 11 young people died in just two months. Among those lost was Henderson's great-niece. In March, the nation explained the unprecedented number of deaths was mostly linked to drug and alcohol use.
To draw attention to the issues, the 68-year-old embarked on a long walk across Vancouver Island the weekend of Sept. 13.
Beginning his journey in Nanaimo and making his way to Port Hardy, he took a break and stayed overnight in Campbell River on Sept. 14, after leaving Courtenay earlier that morning.
"To get support, you have to do a life changing event and this is a life changing event," Henderson said of his walk.
"Nothing has changed, and it's just getting worse and worse," he continued. "It's about our children."
Vehicles travelling on Hwy 19 showed their support by honking their horns. Some people stopped along the road for a conversation with him and his daughter, Tina Henderson, who joined him on the walk.
"When I started, it was just going to be me and the road," he said. "A lot of people came out to give us support."
"That really lifted our morals," Henderson said. When you engage in activities to raise awareness, he said you often question whether you are making a difference.
READ ALSO: Drug and alcohol deaths spark North Island First Nations state of emergency
Henderson's walk was inspired by other First Nations people who have walked long distances to shine a spotlight on the issues in Indigenous communities across Canada, such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
"That really inspired me to see somebody doing that, " he said. "It takes a lot of strength and will."
