Highway of Tears, British Columbia

[wheat kraken]

Hey community, new to the server but I’ve been enjoying Ballen’s YouTube for a while now. I’m also a YouTuber myself (www.YouTube.com/@welcometova), but this story has nothing to do with that. Its difficult to sum up my experience and the tragedy of others in a few words, but it is a strange, dark and mysterious tale.

In 2019, after being stuck in northern British Columbia, Canada for a few months, I decided to hitchhike Highway 16. Better known to the locals as the highway of tears.

I was fortunate enough to not get injured, murdered or kidnapped during my 2-day journey along part of this 450 mi. long highway, and managed to make it about 90 mi during the middle of December. The point of this, I suppose, is to bring to light some of the tragedy and sorrow that’s plagued these small communities for 40+ years.

Yes, years. Since the 60’s or so (and I apologize in advance if some of these figures aren’t extremely accurate, it’s been a few years since I left), there have been dozens of indigenous women who have been murdered, kidnapped, raped or who have simply disappeared from this corridor of desolate roadway.

I’m a bit fuzzy on the timeline, but I was probably out on that highway from 7 am to 8 or 9 pm that day. I slept in the lobby of the hospital after rolling my ankle and calling an ambulance that night, and walked down to the local police station the next morning. The full story is pretty crazy and creepy, but it would take many thousands of words to fully convey.

Some say that 1 or more serial killers preyed along that highway for years, abducting and killing indigenous women of all ages. The image of a dirty, ripped red dress hung from a branch, blowing in the breeze still haunts me to this day. It’s the symbol and representation of the missing and murdered indigenous women in that part of the world, and the horrors and despair of a woman’s vulnerability. Thanks for reading.

[old wren]

This is a heartbreaking series of stories that should be told. I have first hand experience with The Highway of Tears, as it runs through my neighborhood, just a couple blocks away.

[sly maple]

I live in BC too and have heard a lot about this. Shocking how little is done to help the Indigenous women. There’s a good documentary on it too, made by Indigenous people I believe.

[wheat kraken]

I was in Smithers, the landscape and mountains were absolutely stunning, one of the most beautiful places I’ve been. But idk, there was like a lowkey, underlying attitude in the community toward the First Nation people. Like just being out in public, I saw it almost every day. I hope that community finds some justice and closure eventually 🖤