Dear Editor:
On Feb 5, a beautiful candle vigil was held in memory of two precious little boys whose lives were tragically taken in Millet.
The horrific loss has left the family, the local community of Millet and thousands of people across our province reeling in disbelief that this could have happened and are left wondering why.
Could it have been prevented? Were there any signs? Almost everyone would most likely say there were not. Who could possibly have predicted something like this?
As I read more on this story I become angrier at the horror of it all. I become angry at lack of understanding and awareness that these types of tragedies do indeed occur all over the world, everyday.
‘Parental alienation’ is a term used to describe a series of actions a parent takes, most often during custody disputes, to keep the children of a relationship away from the other parent. Alienating parents fail to see the children's best interests and their right to have a loving relationship with the other parent. Parental alienation has been described to occur in three stages: mild, moderate and severe. The mild stage being such things as bad-mouthing a parent to, or in front of, the children by the other parent to the most severe, being abduction or even death of the children to ultimately take the children away from the other parent forever.
There is another small, but ever growing number of people who have been shaken to the core at the news of this story. They have heard them before, time and time again. While it doesn't take away from the horror of the loss of these two innocent children, it does bring to light the desperate need for awareness and education in the family law system, our government family services including the school system and the general public. With this awareness, early warning signs may be detected and possibly tragedies such as this prevented.
As I stand helplessly by today, I can only pray that these two little boys may forever rest in peace and that their father and family members in time, find solace in the fond memories of the precious and loving moments they did share, now to be forever cherished. I am so very sorry.
Rhonda Pisanello
Rimbey