After her brother’s suicide, Kelly Paul reflected on her own life, writing out a bucket list.
“One of the things I wanted to do was run Vancouver Island,” said Paul, 29, a member of Tsartlip First Nation. “I was inspired by Terry Fox and I would love to run across Canada, but I’m starting small.”
The 535-kilometre marathon from Port Hardy to Victoria does not fall into most definitions of a small run, especially because Paul plans to zigzag along the way to talk to young people in First Nations communities about suicide prevention,
Paul, who works as the First Nations educational assistant at Bayside Middle School, will set out May 17.
“I used to do cross-country and track-and-field and I have done 10Ks and half-marathons,” she said. “Sports have always been a big part of my life and being part of a team has kept me strong.”
Paul will be accompanied on the Heliset Hale Marathon — which translates from Sencoten to “awaken life within you” — by Bernice Smith, also Tsartlip, and John Sampson of Tsawout First Nation.
They’ll run between 10 and 27 kilometres every day. Paul knows the hilly terrain of Vancouver Island will present challenges.
“I think our first two weeks will be really tough,” she said, looking at the schedule that will take the runners from Port Hardy to Sayward.
They aim to reach the Tsartlip reserve on June 21, National Aboriginal Day. “It’s a day to celebrate our culture and look at successes in our community,” Paul said.
The message she will be bringing to students along the route is that they are not alone and, if they are feeling despair or that they might harm themselves, they need to reach out to others for help.
Four years ago, Paul’s 17-year-old brother took his life. “He was supposed to graduate that year. I have spent many days asking why, why, but only he knew the answer,” she said.
“This is a healing journey for me,” undertaken in hopes of preventing others from committing suicide.
The run will cost about $20,000 and Paul is looking for donations, ranging from a motor home for the early days of the run, when there are no convenient places to stay, to physiotherapists and massage therapists willing to donate some time as well as running gear and medical supplies.
In addition to donations to the run, Paul is aiming to raise money to help expand the gymnasium at the Tribal School on West Saanich Road.
To donate or support Paul, go to helisethalemarathon.com.
