Two lanes were dedicated to Le Estcwéy, "The Missing," during a memorial swim on Thursday (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

CANADA 55+ GAMES

55+ Games swimmers honour “The Missing” during memorial lap

Aug 25, 2022 | 4:26 PM

KAMLOOPS — There was a special moment on Thursday at the Canada 55+ Games, where a group of swimmers took part in a ceremony for Le Estcwéy, “The Missing.”

Chief Willie Littlechild from Alberta organized the swim that dedicated two lanes to honour the missing children.

Littlechild, who has won multiple medals at the Canada 55+ Games, felt the tribute was needed, especially being in Kamloops where the first unmarked graves were confirmed last year.

“It was very gratifying, to say the least, to have the chance to honour the lost children, the missing children, those in the unmarked graves, in their memory,” noted Littlechild. “It was just so gratifying to be able to swim on their behalf. I know they were here with us. It was just fantastic.”

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An ‘Every Child Matters’ shirt hangs on the starting block at Canada Games Pool to honour Le Estcwéy, “The Missing” (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

Littlechild, a residential school survivor himself, says he’s one of the lucky ones to be alive and able to participate in sports. He says the children who died at residential schools didn’t get that same opportunity.

“Many of them would probably be my age [78 years old]. I went to three different residential schools myself over 14 years, so I’m just blessed to be alive, to be here, but it’s because of sports,” he said. “It was because of hockey, because of swimming, because of baseball — my three main sports. Otherwise, I might have been missing, too.”