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Resolute woman killed in snowmobile accident

Community grieves loss of councillor and healer

KIRSTEN MURPHY

Minnie Nungaq, 52, died when her snowmobile collided with a parked van outside the South Camp Inn in Resolute Bay on Nov. 4.

The social worker and hamlet councillor was driving to a town meeting when she hit the empty vehicle at about 7 p.m.

A bystander called RCMP Cpl. Franco Radeschi for help. The off-duty officer attempted to resuscitate the unconscious woman.

"There weren’t any signs of life at the scene. We think death was instantaneous, " Radeschi said.

Nungaq, who was not wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the health center. The cause of death was head-trauma, he said. A police investigation will determine if speed was a factor.

"She was one of our local residents who would regularly wear a helmet, but unfortunately she wasn’t on this occasion," he said.

Weather conditions that night were overcast with blowing snow, but they were not whiteout conditions, Radeschi said.

The death was particularly difficult for residents still grieving the loss of Michael Pudluk. Pudluk, 35, died suddenly from a bacterial infection on Oct. 8.

"His death caught us by surprise, and now there’s another sudden, accidental death. It’s rocking us all at the same time," Radeschi said.

Radeschi said Nungaq will be remembered as a hard worker with a difficult job.

"She was always professional. We were glad to have a social worker in the community rather than having to solve problems long distance," he said.

Mayor Aziz Kheraj said Nungaq’s "lively" comments on child welfare will be missed.

Her friend and colleague, Tabatha Mullin, said Nungaq fought for what she believed in.

"She believed in healing and getting people to heal," Mullin said. "She stuck to her weekly [counselling] meetings even if no one else came."

Nungaq is survived by four children and a large extended family.

A memorial service had not been scheduled as of press-time.

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