HELPING HANDS OF MANY STRANGERS GET MOM TO HER SON IN SWIFT CURRENT
Martha Porter wrapped her arms around her 16-year-old son while still trying to wrap her head around an emotional, exasperating and eventually joyous day.
Martha’s objective was to surprise her “little one” — Thomas Porter, who is playing volleyball for Nunavut at the Western Canada Summer Games — with an unexpected visit to the multisport event.
An eventful trip ensued, one that included tears and fears, only to culminate in a happy ending when she finally completed the long and, at times, uncertain journey to Swift Current from her home in Yellowknife.
“Can you hug me one more time?” Martha asked her son shortly after arriving at the Games. “I just want to make sure that it’s real.”
The story became reality thanks to all the amazing people who embraced Martha.
“My initial plan was to drive here with my two other boys and my granddaughter,” Martha said, referencing sons Mitchell, 29, and Tanner, 18, along with sixyear-old Kamimalik.
However, there were registration issues with the vehicle, so Martha — formerly of Gjoa Haven, Nunavut — circulated a Facebook message, asking if anyone near Yellowknife happened to be driving to Swift Current. No such luck.
The next option was to fly, so Martha purchased a plane ticket from Yellowknife to Edmonton to Saskatoon. She arrived at Saskatoon International Airport around noon on Wednesday, only to encounter a detour.
“I assumed right away that I could catch a bus to Swift Current from Saskatoon, not knowing that I would end up staying there for eight hours,” Martha said. “I was in tears. I was scared.”
Without a credit card, Martha was unable to rent a car. She inquired as to the possibility of travelling by cab or Uber, but the cost was prohibitive.
The next step was to seek assistance at the airport. Two airport employees, in particular, went out of their way to be helpful.
One of them called the Games’ headquarters and spoke to office manager Guylaine Green.
“All Martha could say was, ‘My son is in Swift Current playing volleyball. I need to get to Swift Current,’ ” Green said.
“I said, ‘First of all, Martha, I need you to take some deep breaths. It’ll be OK. We’ll figure something out.’ ”
Green immediately texted Mark Bracken, Saskatchewan’s chef de mission. Messages were also sent to Team Nunavut and members of the Games’ board of directors. The common inquiry: “Does anyone know anybody who is coming here from Saskatoon?”
While the Games people were trying to find a solution, Martha sent a Facebook message to Julian Tomlinson, a former resident of Yellowknife and Gjoa Haven who now lives in Saskatoon.
Tomlinson is the dean of Hospitality and Tourism at the School of Human Services and Community Safety at Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
Tomlinson received Martha’s message in Whitehorse while travelling with Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s director of Indigenous student success, Jason Seright.
“I could see that Julian was worried and he told me of the situation,” Seright said. “I could tell that (Martha) was really scared.”
Seright quickly texted Saskatoon’s Derek Rope, the founder of Saskatchewan Aboriginal Track and Field, in the hope that his sporting connections could perhaps pave the way to Swift Current for Martha.
Rope, a 2018 Sask Sport volunteer of the year award recipient, rushed to the airport and met Martha, who phoned Green and said: “I have found a ride. You are my angel. I will see you in Swift Current.”
The ride was to be provided by Dee Albert of Sweetgrass First Nation, near North Battleford.
Rope reached out to Albert and said he had “a random favour to ask.”
Albert, coincidentally, was passing through Saskatoon with her teammates after competing at the FSIN golf championships in Yorkton.
“Derek explained the situation to me and asked if I could help,” Albert said. “He said that he had a vehicle I could use. I said, ‘Why not?’
“Because it was Derek asking, I trust him. He has a heart of gold, and I was happy to be able to help as well.”
Rope and Martha met up with Albert and her teammates at a Saskatoon restaurant, but not before Martha’s own act of kindness helped someone.
“We stopped at a light and she saw a homeless person,” Rope said. “I called him over to my side of the vehicle and she gave him some food that she had in a to-go container.”
Martha was soon introduced to Albert. On Wednesday at 8 p.m., they departed for Swift Current, arriving three hours later.
“On the way here, my shaking slowly started calming down,” Martha said. “The young lady was so amazing.”
“We were just looking out for each other,” Albert said. “I wanted to make sure she got there safely.”
When they arrived, Albert dropped off Martha at her hotel. Martha invited Albert to share a room, but Rope had reserved and paid for the accommodations in return for the “random favour.”
The next day, Albert returned to Sweetgrass First Nation with the vehicle, which will soon be back in Rope’s possession. As for Martha, she met up with her son at a Thursday morning practice.
“I was really happy to see her and so surprised,” Thomas Porter, who lives in Nunavut, said with a smile.
Thomas had been aware of his mother’s plan to travel from Yellowknife via automobile, but was not advised of the other developments until Thursday morning.
“When I got a message from him saying, ‘I hope you make it, Mom,’ that’s when I knew I needed to come,” said Martha, who was finalizing the logistics of returning to Yellowknife following the Games.
“I’m so grateful that I’m here. I’m so grateful to the people who have helped me. I’m so grateful that I’m in a hotel safely and that I get to watch all these people playing volleyball here in Swift Current.
“I pray that everybody makes it home safely to their families, and even me, to my beautiful kids who are waiting for me at home.”