The Current - How Tumbler Ridge is supporting each other

Episode Date: February 16, 2026

In the wake of the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, a mother from another community is finding ways to honour her neighbours. Plus, political and faith leaders on how the community grieves and supports one another.

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This is a CBC podcast. Hello, I'm Matt Galloway, and this is the current podcast. Kylie was an amazing little girl. She was just so full of happiness and love, and she just cared for everybody. And she was the first person to help anybody that needed help. And, you know, she never bullied anybody. She was just such a good-hearted kid.

She was a storm. I called her my teaky torch. She was a teaky torch. porch powered by love, always out on an adventure to brighten someone's day by giving and sharing her gift of laughter. She loved her family fiercely. Her friends were her everything. Those are the parents of Kylie Smith and Takaria Lampert. Kylie and Takaria are two of the victims of last week's mass shooting in Tumblr Ridge, British Columbia. They were both 12 years old. Abel Mwanza was also killed at school. It was a place that it was a place that

his father says he loved. That was the deepest cut that was pierced into my flesh, losing my son. I never thought of that. I never thought of that. They said when the shooter came, entered the room because where they were, Abel was shouting, screaming, telling everyone to run, escape through the door. That Abel was trying to save a kid. and in the process he was short.

Six children between the ages of 11 and 13 were killed. Five at school, one in his home, plus two adults, an educator and the shooter's mother. Over the weekend, leaders from across the country, including the Prime Minister Mark Carney, stood together with survivors of last week's mass shooting and the families of the victims. We don't just give grace, we receive grace. Grace from Kylie, Ezekiel, Zoe, Tiki. Abel, Chanda.

Grace that fills this community, this extended family, gathering in the cold and holding candles for all of your children, and the grace from across Canada. Reverend Gerald Krause and his wife, Tracy, are both pastors at the New Life Assembly Church in Tumblr Ridge. They have been offering their support throughout the week, and they join us now. Good morning to you both. Good morning. Good morning.

Gerald, how are you doing? This has been an unimaginable. week and a weekend in which people would reflect on what happens and think about what is to come. How are you holding up? Well, you know, my wife and I are together and we are looking after, trying to look after the people of our community as best we can. Tracy, how about yourself? I mean, we'll talk a little bit about the work that you're doing, but you are part of that community.

Yes, and I feel like sometimes, even though we have a lot of our personal grief, because we knew these people, especially young Abel, was part of our congregation. So it's been very difficult. But then a person almost has to kind of compartmentalize that and look at the broader picture and just try to be there for everybody. and that's what we're trying to do, yeah. I know that you were out with families this weekend, speaking with them. Tell me a little bit about that, Tracy. What was that like? Oh, it's heart-wrenching.

And, yeah, like I said, then you put on your pastoral hat, I guess you'd say, and you just listen, you just love them, you hug, you just stab. You just stand alongside because, you know, we're we don't have the answers. We don't have any. We're not trying to say any reasons why. We're just coming alongside and loving people and then crying, crying along with them. What do you say when people have questions? Part of it is listening certainly, but I could imagine that people would ask why and why them.

What do you say? I don't have an answer. I don't know why. And that's the honest truth. Of course, we lean on our faith and we believe that God is sovereign, but we don't have an answer. And we're not trying to give Pat answers. So I think the message is more we're here for them. And even though it's the worst thing they can imagine, you know, life will continue.

you and we're there to help them build, you know, life going forward. Gerald, tell me about that listening and what listening gives people who are going through something as, I keep using this word, unimaginable as what they are right now. Well, I guess, I guess I would start off by, you know, people, everyone knows everyone. And a year ago, exactly, we had a funeral for one of our daughters that had just gone through childbirth. And so when a parent loses a child, it's like the worst thing ever imaginable. And so we kind of have an idea of what they are going through, but under tragic circumstance, of course.

And, you know, we just, we, we're, we're just there for them and holding hands and we're just crying and they're crying. And it's a, it's a, it's a very difficult time for our, our community, for everyone. I'm sorry for what you have gone through. I mean, that's, there's, grief is, is not an isolated thing in many ways. It becomes a shared experience, right? And I just wonder whether your own experience. helps those who are in the midst of this because they know a little bit of which you have felt and you know a little bit about what they're feeling right now.

Well, you know, it's, it's, we don't, we don't try and say, you know, it's okay, we'll get through this because you don't. It's the worst thing that's ever happened and it doesn't go away. And so, I guess having gone through that, you know, you don't want to to lie to people. you just want to be there with them and to help them go through this. I mean, everyone is in Tumblr Ridge right now, but, you know, everybody will go home and we'll still be here. And those are very difficult days. You held church services over the weekend, Gerald, and I just wonder how having a physical place to be together in helps people in a community. Well, I can, you know, that's, that's where, that's where I wanted to be. And, you know, I, I guess, obviously other people now, other people want to be there as well, because, you know, they, they come and we're together. And we, we love each other and we're all going through this experience together.

even the people who haven't lost children who live here. You know, we're a global geo park in the world. I think there's only six of them. And people come here for all the waterfalls and the outdoor adventure, not or something like this. Tracy, and again, I understand that there's a lot of listening, but you're also seeing a change in terms of the eyes of the world. people move on and and their lives continue and the life of the lives of the people in that

community will never to Charles Point be the same. What do you tell people not just about the days that they're living through right now, but the days to come and what they're going to need and what they're going to rely on in those days ahead? Yeah, that's a very good point. Well, I guess I'm repeating myself. You know, we're not trying to say it's going, your X number of days or months and everything's going to be fine. Every grief is different for everybody. So I think that's our message to people is that we're here for the long haul. And we have been trying, of course, over in the short term, we've had the church open

and we've been visiting, as you mentioned, and we have a team of other chaplains who've come in from around the country who are helping and trying to support people. We've had such an influx of food. Just yesterday, a van, like a truck van, came to the church from Banderthew, which is quite a ways away. And another lady, another truckload from Grand Prairie, Alberta. We had a van full of flowers. I mean, this has been just ongoing people sending things. And so we're able to disseminate food and other.

things to the community and that's really important. But one of the things that yesterday when my daughter and I were delivering a care package, I guess, to a family, we said, you know, we've got a lot and we're going to be back next week and the week next week and the next week. Because, you know, right now there's this huge glut almost of people helping and all the condolences and the care. But in a week or two or a month, like, you know, Like you said, everyone else is going on with their lives. And I think that's where we want people to make sure that we're not going anywhere. And the same with the rest of the community.

There's just, it's not just us at our church, but it's the whole community that's coming together in that way. And that's going to be the thing. The long-term support for one another is going to be so important. You're both doing really important work here. But as I mentioned at the beginning, you are also part of that community. and you carry some of this weight as well. So I hope you take care of yourselves. In the meantime, thank you both for speaking with us,

and thanks for what you're doing. Thank you. Gerald and Tracy Krause, our pastor is at New Life Assembly Church in Tumblr Ridge, British Columbia. The impact of this school shooting is being felt in towns right across BC, as we heard, in Dawson Creek,

about an hour from Tumblr Ridge, a vigil will be held tonight. Natasha, Moody, is one of the organizers. Natasha, good morning to you. Good morning. Why was it important for you? you to organize this vigil. You are not in Tumblr Ridge, as I said, you're outside of that community, but you're

doing this anyway. Why is that? I felt all their pain, and I have a sister in the community that lives there as well, and I have nieces. I felt I needed to do something to help in some way to remember all the ones that didn't survive and the ones that are injured. I just feel the pain that they have and that they are going through.

This is part of a mom's group that is organizing this, right? Well, yes. What are the conversations, if I might ask, that people have had in that group about why it's important to show some solidarity? We've had a lot of women say that we need to grow as a community to support them and there's no words.

Honestly, there's no words. We don't know what to say. We just know that we need to reach out and try to get everybody together to be there for them in some way. Your sister, as you mentioned, lives in Tumblr Ridge. Correct.

And your niece goes to the school where the shooting happened. Yes. She was not hurt in that, thankfully. But how... It sounds like a trite question in some ways, but how is she coping with all of this? She's shaken.

She's mixed. You know, she's confused. And she, there's no, I don't know how to express her feelings because I'm not her, obviously. But I know that she's going through a lot and she's going to have supports just like anybody else in the community. But I'm with everybody. Yeah, it's all mixed emotions, you know, anger, sadness, all of the above. What do you say to your sister in a moment like this? But I love her and I support her and I'm here if she needs me in a hard time like this.

You know, one of the things that has come out of this awful story is that story of support as well. And it's from right across the country. but it's also from, as we said, towns, communities that are an hour away but connected in this sense. What does that tell you about who we are in a moment like this, who we are as a nation and who we can be? We care. We all care. Whether we're near or far, we all care. We all have hearts as mothers, as fathers or a family member or even somebody who's not related or anything. We all care deep down inside, you know. It could have been one of us. We don't know that, you know.

It could have been anybody. But it wasn't. So we all care. More than anything, it's caring. And so what are you going to be thinking about tonight at this vigil? I'm honestly at this point, I don't know what I'm going to be thinking or feeling. Right now, I've got a mix of emotions. You know, I'm sad.

I'm angry. You know, there's a lot. I have no real answer to what I'm going to feel tonight. But emotion. That's a really honest answer in some ways. I think that's where people are at right now. Yeah. I'm glad that you're doing this,

and the community will feel that from where they are to where you are. Natasha, thank you very much. Thank you. Natasha Mudri is organizing a vigil for Tumblr Ridge. She is in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. This ascent isn't for everyone. You need grit to climb this high this often. You've got to be an underdog that always over delivers.

You've got to be 6,500 hospital staff, 1,000 doctors, all doing so much with so little. You've got to be Scarborough. Defined by our uphill battle and always striving towards new heights. And you can help us keep climbing. Donate at lovescarbro.cairbo.ca. This message comes from Viking, committed to Exploring the world in comfort. Journey through the heart of Europe on a Viking longship,

with thoughtful service, destination-focused dining, and cultural enrichment, on board, and on shore. With a variety of voyages and sailing dates to choose from, now is the time to explore Europe's waterways. Learn more at viking.com. Bob Zimmer is the conservative MP for the area. he has been in Tumblr Ridge for the last few days and joins us now. Bob, good morning to you. Good morning, Matt. It's good to have you here. What do you make of what you've just heard?

You have people in communities that are far away or like an hour away from Tumblr Ridge, but also people in the community talking about that sense of pulling together. What strikes you about that? Well, I think just the community that we all are here. So whether it's in northeastern BC, that's the area I represents the top east corner of the province, but the borders really don't stop or it ends at my riding. We've heard from people across the country. And a story that I've said so many times, we're dealing with an airline executive,

just about an issue that we're helping with a family. And we're talking about the situation, but she started choking up. And I saw I spoke with the prime minister and spoke with Pierre and these leaders are, they're choking up just the same as any parent would for a lost child. So there's just an amazing show of empathy and just care for each other as Canadians. It's special.

Like it's a tragedy. But if there's one little, you know, little bright light in this all, it's how we've come together as a community just to mourn together. How are you holding up in this? You mean you're a parent. Yeah. I'm a dad. You see stories like this.

You live through stories like this. And you can't imagine what it is like to be there. Yeah, well, it's, I, It's really not about me. It's really about them, but it's, I've said before, Jesus is my light and, you know, it's a dark time, but it's, you know, when we're leaving, we're driving out of town the first night with my wife.

And I said, I just can't imagine somebody without Jesus being their light because it's such darkness. And, but, you know, our community, you know, I've heard just the pastor Gerald and his wife, too, they're great people and just supporting the community. but it's really everybody just coming together to support each other too sure makes the grief a little bit easier to bear perhaps tough days are ahead though you know parents are dealing with I won't get into the details but um it's just a tough time for the parents and we've met so many of them

we met them all on Friday in a in a quiet sort of room with no cameras and talked about who these kids were, talked about who, you know, the teacher was and talked to her kids and, you know, Shanda's kids, Marcel and I believe it's Shiloh. And just got to know who this, who their mom was and how special she was. She's an amazing person. What did it mean? It was, sorry, I better correct it. It's Marcel and Silas, was the daughter.

So, but just got to know who their mom was, got to laugh a little bit. She was a funny lady, just a nice lady who loved to teach. She had gum day on Fridays. And it was mentioned in the speech that she would sneak gum in on Fridays to give out to the kids if they were doing their work sort of properly and things. So just to get to know who they really were was really special for us. What practically do those families need now? There's a sense of, and we've talked about this,

there's a sense of a country coming together and a community coming together and communities nearby or far coming together. But there are practical things that these families are going to be going through in the days and weeks ahead as well. And they're going to turn to people like you in government for some assistance.

What is your sense as to what they need now? Yeah, we've been dealing with some of that. It's a practical matter is like dealing with funeral homes and things like that. But mental health is one issue. you know the spiritual health of the community is another and um there's uh garyanda sangri called me yesterday just about um you know some of the practical matters around uh you know when you're

your family member you're at home but you're not working so what do you do about uh paying your mortgage and paying your car payment so dealing with things like eI and and all that's just practical matters that we're helping them through that process and just here like if and i will say the ministers, you know, the prime minister has been excellent just about if they need our help. We're here and it's happened quite rapidly too. We just make the call and it just gets done. So there's really, and I think it's not just the minister. It's the person on the other end of the phone who has to practically get the forms through. They're choking up just like we are just trying to help these families through a really rough time. I mean, that image from Friday of Pierre Pahliav and the Prime Minister, the Governor General's there, the people together on a stage holding hands says something, right?

That image went around the world. We live in, I'm not papering this over, but we live in in times that people call divisive and yet in a moment like these people are brought together. I just wonder what that tells you. Yeah, to me, it just, I think it showed, I spoke about this yesterday. we had a vigil at the high school here in Fort St. John Ryliffe. And just about how really, you know, unified we are as Canadians. You know, Pierre said it so well. He said today we're not conservatives.

We're not liberals. We're not, you know, name of the other parties. We're all just Canadians, you know, mourning the loss of precious individuals in our country. And I saw it for real, too, when you see the leaders behind the scenes. It was real. It was fathers talking to these kids and these family members. members, you know, in crying with them and just listening to them. And I just think, I think what the challenge for us is, is, you know, we're, said it yesterday, too, we're always taught to love one another.

But I think, I think the challenge for us is really, let's keep doing that, right? Like, let's, we're unified. Let's just, you know, be a little kinder, that person that's in the grocery store that's behind you that, you know, or in front of you, you might be impatient. but just be a little of the patient that might have lost a loved one today. You know, like just let's just try and love each other a little bit more and maybe we'll be better off as a country. One of the things that leaders like yourself

are going to be asked about, and that's a really important message, I think, that people should hold tight. One of the things that people are going to be asked about is around mental health support, particularly in communities like Tumblr Ridge. We know that the shooter had a history of mental health struggles. The lease had been to the house several times. And getting that support in a big city is hard at the best of times.

And the smaller community is really difficult. What are you thinking about when it comes to that support? Yeah, it's been mentioned many times. It's just what's going to happen after this because, you know, I think most people know the situation, the person that sought supports over and over and over and wasn't seemingly getting the support that they needed. So I think that's an answer that we're going to have to.

give because I think we're united in that we never want to see this happen again. I know the victims families are dealing with their own loss, but they don't want to see this happen to anyone else. So we really need to dig into this and get it done. And even the healthcare, we've had problems with getting doctors in rural areas and things like that. And I think we need to really sit down and, you know, hammer out a solution to this. Because I think the mental health challenges of kids isn't going away soon.

so we need to tackle it and do it quickly. But I've seen commitment from the Premier, from the Prime Minister, from us, from all levels of government to solve it. I think now once, like it's been said so many times, once the cameras leave, now the work really begins and let's get it done though, right? Where I think we're committed in heart. It's just going to be on us local representatives and the federal and provincial representatives to actually accomplish what they've promised.

I'm going to let you go, but just one of the things we keep saying is that it's not days or weeks or months or years for this community to deal with this. But you've said this, this is a great community before this. And it can be a great community after. What do you say to people there about what that future holds? Yeah, well, I think I've said and I agree I was there as a kid. I worked there with my dad on the community center when it was built back in the 80s. And nobody wants to, Tumblr Ridge to be remembered for this tragedy. They want, you know, to remember Tumblr Ridge for the beauty and the Rockies with,

it's beautiful in the summer and the winter. It's a place to go to be recreationally heard from the pastor, even the geopark, the waterfalls and the beauty that our community really is. That's who Tumblr Ridge wants to be remembered for. So I think the challenge is just to walk that out, you know, come visit Tumblr Ridge, come, go to the mountain bike park and just be part of that healing process into the future. Bob, it's good to talk to you about this. You've been through a lot as well in dealing with this and this is part of your community as well.

So thank you very much for this. Thanks, Matt. I can hear it in your voice. I know you have a job to do too as a host, but I can hear just that pain in your voice too. So I appreciate all the support from really all media across the country. It's been just so great. So just thank you. Good to talk to you.

Bob, thanks. Yeah, thanks, Matt. Bob Zimmer, Conservative MP for the area that includes Tumblr Ridge, British Columbia. You've been listening to the current podcast. My name is Matt Galloway. Thanks for listening. I'll talk to you soon. For more CBC podcasts, go to cbc.ca.ca slash podcasts.