Many times I have thought about what to say when I sat down to write these thoughts. I’m not one to show a lot of emotion, but a person can only take so much bad news in a short period of time.

The North is my home and always will be, no one will ever be able to take that away from me. So many things make it my home, the land, the industry and the people. No matter who you are in Yellowknife, chances are you have been effected by the series of accidents that have happened over the last two months.

I have the utmost respect for those pilots who fly the northern skies. I look up to them. Since the age of 7 years old I have been flying in bush planes, I loved it. It was like nothing else. To be able to fly in a small aircraft while circling around a herd of caribou or musk-ox is a surreal experience, one that I would never trade. I suppose that is why it hurts to hear the news of these accidents, while i was flying around the north I don’t remember any major accidents like these ones. It seems like something isn’t right and I can’t figure it out.

It is tough to talk about these accidents, because I haven’t lost anyone that is extremely close to me, but have known those who have. They are good people, people I look up to, I just can’t bare to think how tough these times are for them. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Yellowknife is a great place, no matter the what happens this community comes together and is strong. Those who we have lost will never be forgotten, they will inspire us.

The worst part for me is not being there and sharing the memories. Just like Dorothy says “There is no place like home” no matter the situation.

So as I mentioned in the first line I wasn’t sure how to write this, I’m still not really sure how to feel. I hope I was able to layout my thoughts. I also hope those who were affected, by any of the accidents, know that they have an entire community behind them and then all of us expats.