This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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The tragedy-hit town of Lac-Mégantic experienced complete silence on Saturday morning as the family and friends of the 47 victims of a devastating train derailment and explosion incident convened for the first time since the accident of July 6. The touching service spanned almost a little over an hour, when mourners shared words of comfort with Ste-Angès parish priest, Steve Lemay, and witnessed several symbolic gestures designed to help the town heal and look to the future.
Inaugurating the service almost exactly around 11 a.m., Archbishop Luc Cyr stated that “I wish to welcome the families of victims, their parents, and friends.” Cyr was later replaced at the pulpit by retired teacher Pierrette, Turgeon Blanchet, who alleged that “I am Pierrette, a grandmother, who taught almost all of these beautiful youths.” She elucidated that “you know, grandmas, they like telling stories to their grandchildren, and today, it is God I’ll be telling stories to. Stories lived by 47 people and their families — people we have loved dearly.”
For a small period afterwards, Turgeon Blanchet went on to slowly narrate the names of the victims aloud, pausing after each one, after which she clutched the list of names to her chest and quoted: “To help us grieve, let us recall the words of Isaiah: I’m not forgetting you, says God. I have your name engraved on the palms of my hand.” Later, Lemay acknowledged the pain and grief being experienced by local residents, alleging that “our town, with a devastated heart, mourns its children.”
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