Prince Albert educator left his mark

Harvey Thunderchild knows how many lives his brother Victor touched, but he says he's still being caught off guard.

Victor Thunderchild, a grandfather and passionate educator with a career spanning decades, died around 6:30 a.m. Saturday after being diagnosed with COVID-19. He was 55 years old.

As Harvey drove around Prince Albert on Saturday morning, his phone screen remained lit up.

Messages and calls in the hundreds poured in, from Victor's former students, community members, friends from the powwow circuit, professional hockey players he used to billet — and beyond.

When Harvey stopped to fill up his truck in Duck Lake, the attendant was one of Victor's former students. So were some of the nurses who took care of him as he fought COVID-19 at Prince's Albert's Victoria Hospital.

Victor, a student support worker and former teacher in Prince Albert, contracted the virus from someone at his office at Carleton Comprehensive High School, Harvey said. His wife and daughter also became ill.

Harvey said he spoke with his brother a few days ago. He was feeling a bit better, but couldn't take more than a few steps. By Friday evening, Victor was moved to the ICU and intubated.

Victor's compassion seemed endless, Harvey said. Even after his death, that effect he had on people will continue on.

“He's certainly going to be missed. He's really touched a lot of people with his presence, with his education, with his kindness,” he said.

“It shows how good of a role model he was. And he still is. He's a role model. Never giving up, always pursuing anything and everything.” A year earlier, the Thunderchild family was mourning the loss of another brother to COVID-19 — 61-year-old Wayne Thunderchild, who lived in Seattle.

The family of 12 siblings has always been close, no matter the distance, Harvey said. It's something he has seen reflected in his brother's connections as people from across Canada have reached out.

As a teacher, he worked to connect with each of his students. His passion was Cree language and culture revitalization, both in Prince Albert's schools and with his own grandchildren.

Young people flocked to Victor, Harvey said. He coached volleyball and played a number of sports.

“I remember about 10 years ago, he picked up a bunch of kids, Indian girls from Prince Albert here that weren't interested in school,” Harvey said. “But he kept them in school for the sake of playing volleyball ... because that's where they found a sanctuary with him.”

In a statement Saturday, Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division director of education Robert Bratvold said the division was “stricken” to learn of Victor's passing.