Strongheart Memorial Fund
29 08 2009
Our friend, Ann Strongheart, her husband Segundo, and their two-year old daughter, Cecelia, spent the summer in the small village of Ugashik in southwestern Alaska, working for their new best friends, Victoria and Roland Briggs, who own and run the Ugashik Wild Salmon Company. On the morning of Tuesday, August 18, and in spite of heroic efforts, Ann suddenly found herself widowed when Segundo collapsed and died of a massive heart attack at the age of 38.
Segundo was born and raised in Nunam Iqua in western Alaska, and he and Ann had made it their home. It lies several hundred miles away from Ugashik.
Returning Segundo’s body to his home village for his funeral involved air travel from Ugashik to Nunam Iqua via Anchorage. It required travel on a number of different airlines through multiple airports. Other completely unexpected expenses in the last few days included the funeral preparations themselves. Additional thousands of dollars were used to fly Ann, her daughter, Cecelia, and close friend Victoria Briggs to Nunam Iqua for the funeral itself.
With the funeral behind her, Ann looks ahead to the uncertainty of how she and Cecelia will get through the next brutal Alaskan winter without the loving support and assistance of her husband. Additional worries include the birth of Segundo’s second child in November. The baby’s birthing location and winter accommodations must now be carefully planned.
If you would like to help with some of these expenses, the friends of Ann Strongheart have set up a Paypal account. Any financial help you might want to offer this incredible Yup’ik woman and her children would be greatly appreciated as Ann deals with her deep sadness and her uncertainty in planning the rest of her life. Click the Strongheart Memorial Fund logo above in the sidebar.
How to send a check:
· A check must be made payable to:
o Alaska USA Federal Credit Union (AK USA FCU is an acceptable abbreviation)
· The memo line MUST READ:
o Ann Strongheart Fund
· Address for mailing:
o PO Box 196613, Anchorage AK, 99519-6613
If these conditions are not met, the bank will return the check to sender.Is my donation tax deductible?
At this time, you will need to save your donation receipt and consult with your tax advisor.* An Alaskan with a local AK USA Fed CU can make a deposit at their local branch, using the payable and memo information above.
There is a moving account, written by Victoria Briggs, of the cultural traditions surrounding his passing, and his memorial HERE. Our hearts go out to Ann, Cecilia, and all Segundo’s family and friends.
August 29th, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Heartfelt love and hugs to Ann and the rest of the crew in this time. Thanks for getting the link updated.
August 29th, 2009 at 2:52 PM
I had gone to Anonymous Bloggers to donate and saw this was an especially moving rendition of all that is involved in His funeral and the travels to get him home for burial.
August 29th, 2009 at 3:00 PM
segundo
ann
cc
baby
strongheart
when i read the words my heart cries.
August 29th, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Thank you AKM
August 29th, 2009 at 3:14 PM
Thank you AKM. I still get a jolt and tears flow when I think of this unexpected tragedy. Ann is an amazing woman and it’s so important that her voice be heard now more than ever, since she carries on as her husband would wish her to. We had no idea that her story would continue to grow and captivate so many in such a short time. Those of us involved in supporting the Anonymous Bloggers website thought we would be filling the summer with general posts & media articles about Rural Alaska issues to keep the story alive, believing that Ann and Victoria would just be too busy in the short season to stop and relate more tales of their daily lives, triumphs, worries and accomplishments.
The issues of salmon disappearing, state and federal government disconnect, upper and lower Yukon River residents being pitted against one another, village grant discrepancies and many more are important, but without the context of daily life and beliefs in Rural Alaska they do not bring on the same sense of urgency and need for action. Ann and Victoria took valuable time out of their almost manic daily pace to give us pictures, relate stories, to comment & research the many articles we kept throwing at them. It is the lives they lead which give us more of an understanding of all of the complex issues, many of which we have discussed behind the scenes and not yet figured out how to frame for the blog.
There is nothing to which I can compare this labor of love that Ann started, and is now being carried on by others in Rural AK, urban AK and around the world.
Bless you all for being a very real part of this story. We aren’t at the beginning, the middle or the end – just somewhere along the thread which reaches back over a thousand years.
August 29th, 2009 at 3:37 PM
Of course we here will send all we can!
Let me explain the ‘we.’
I am part of a small but powerful circle of friendship here in 100 Mile House, British Columbia. We, the 5 “regulars,” meet at “The Chartreuse Moose,” our local cafe, Fridays from 10 until 12, (Farmer’s Market day, you know). This is our time for US. Others, a number of others, come when they can, because we discuss pretty vital topics – (Politics, US and Canadian, and Palin for sure.) But we 5 are the ‘regulars.’
Naturally I shared Ann’s story with them, and they, each in their own way, sent Ann their heart. We also lit candles and left messages for Ann on the Gratefulness website. My friend Maddi wrote to Ann,
“I don’t know you, except by reason of a friend of mine, but you and others with hardships are the ones who give me strength when I have challenges. I love who you help me to be. I am so inspired by people like you who press on under difficult circumstances.”
AKM, I am still amazed at the network of friendship and love generated by YOU and The Mudflats. The current of connection strengthens more each day, as there are concentric rings of kindred spirits being drawn into the circle around you – and Brian of course!
Ann, our hearts not only go out to you, but will stay with you and yours. That includes Segundo. Looking forward to hearing how things are going.
August 29th, 2009 at 3:38 PM
I directed Granny2B (?) to Anon Bloggers in a comment below, thanks for putting this up AKM.
Can we still light virtual candles? My sons and Grandkids did Wed night and we re-lit ours.
August 29th, 2009 at 4:13 PM
This is a good reminder to revisit our life insurance policies.
August 29th, 2009 at 4:24 PM
My heart just breaks for Ann and her many challenges ahead. However, she is a strong woman and a strong voice who will rise to the challenges for the betterment of her family and community alike.
I will be donating.
August 29th, 2009 at 4:55 PM
Visitor – Many people don’t have the money for a life insurance policy. With my husband and I we struggle to make ends meet.
It’s a whole different world for many of us. I hope you meant that in a caring way but truth is, it’s not an option for many.
August 29th, 2009 at 6:22 PM
Peace and love across the miles, take care and we’ll be hanging around your hearts!
August 29th, 2009 at 9:45 PM
Thanks AKM.
August 29th, 2009 at 10:35 PM
Thanks AKM for drawing attention to Ann & Gundo & CC’s heartbreaking story again!
When my Sister’s Husband suddenly died unexpectedly at age 37, ten years ago, he had been working 2 jobs. His first job of 20 yrs had suddenly reduced his fulltime hours to parttime, in order to eliminate his benefits & cut costs (along with several other employees in that grocery store chain).
He hadn’t even known that his benefits were gone when he died. Fortunately, when threatened with the COBRA Law, they had played ignorant about having submitted NO written notice of dropping his benefits – they were forced to pay out his hospital bills and life insurance.
Fortunately also, Social Security monthly payments became available to help support their two young daughters until they reached the age of 18 or finished high school.
However, if a man in Rural AK has primarily supported himself & family by sustenance fishing or shorter term jobs, there seems to be a shortage of jobs available in Rural AK, I’m wondering if Social Security would be as generous or even available at all?
So, I think it’s wonderful that the Progressive AK blogs and Pajama Clad bloggers rally around Ann! She needs to keep her strength up and stress levels down, in order to give the unborn baby a healthy arrival. Going now to light another candle for the Strongheart Family.
August 30th, 2009 at 12:34 AM
michigander: An adequate supply of disposable diapers can cost over $100 per month. My life insurance policy costs $50.00 per month.
August 30th, 2009 at 1:03 AM
Visitor: Gimme a break!
Disposable diapers can cost over 100 per month? Where are you from? Rural Alaska? Diaper buying in rural Alaska would be like life insurance shopping for a 100-year-old. Have you been to rural Alaska?
You should forego several years of your apparently inadequate (unless you are 16 or younger) life insurance policy premiums and instead buy a round trip from wherever you reside to, say, Arctic Village or Point Hope– sorry, the nearest Motel 6 is probably over 2000 miles south– don’t forget your tent, bug dope, matches, sleeping bag, toilet paper . . . food for as long as you’d need to survive before you’re rescued and evacuated (I’d recommend at least a week; sometimes they have to wait for the weather to lift and they may have a backlog during tourist season) — canned nuts are good, compact, you don’t have to heat them up, and they pack a lot of calories) . . .
August 30th, 2009 at 2:20 AM
@ 14 Visitor “An adequate supply of disposable diapers can cost over $100 per month.”
Umm Visitor, perhaps you should read from Ann’s “Shopping day in Nunam Iqua”. Sheesh, those were happier times, it hurts to read it frankly. While you check it out, please also check out the prices on just regular, normal groceries. They did not go on a binge by any means.
Bear in mind, that CC was 18 months old, in the process of being toilet/honeybucket trained.
http://anonymousbloggers.wordpress.com/shoppin-day-in-nunam-iquq/
“$82.55 —- 1 case size 6 Huggies diapers (144 diapers)”
August 30th, 2009 at 2:42 AM
I remember at the time last winter, I was a little flabbergasted that the Rural Folks weren’t simply washing cloth diapers, rather than using costly disposable diapers. Growing up, my family in Phoenix AZ had up to 5 foster babies at a time, no dryer. I earned my way to summer camp each year hanging 5 batches per day of laundry on the clotheslines. By the time one batch was coming out of the washer, the previous batch was practically dry in the sun because of the heat.
Wow, Ann’s stories sure straightened out any misconceptions I held!!! First off, during winter they couldn’t heat the house enough to DRY diapers. Secondly, the hard work to simply OBTAIN the water, just for drinking, cooking and washing dishes – sure wasn’t to be wasted washing diapers:
“Life without running water in Nunam Iqua”
http://anonymousbloggers.wordpress.com/life-without-running-water-in-nunam-iqua-alaska/
Yes, Ann & Gundo & CC have done a LOT to open our eyes and teach us so much! It’s a whole different world there, that we who haven’t experienced should make judgments, as I did before.
August 30th, 2009 at 6:47 AM
I love the music of Elvis Presley, and this says more than I can say:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmkNCpfgQzI
Ann, there are many of us out here who love you without ever having met you.
Sending big cyberhugs…..
August 30th, 2009 at 8:32 AM
@8 Visitor Says:
August 29th, 2009 at 4:13 PM
This is a good reminder to revisit our life insurance policies.
—————————-
For all who have this option, yes, use this time of remembrance to do the best you can for your family.
As the politics of personal responsibility has played out the last decade or so in the US we have seen a turning inward by folks- to see only that which is theirs- and to lose sight of our more general experience. We have forgotten that all of us do not share the same options or abilities. We have forgotten someone must always take those jobs so many of us look down on. We have fought the notion of a living wage by retreating into a skewed notion of meritocracy.
We must also use this time of remembrance to reevaluate what it is we value.
We must turn to our everyday lives and see that we mostly want home and family and a decent living and as much safety from harm as we can manage… and then we must make it real for all of us…
August 30th, 2009 at 9:44 AM
deist: I’ve not only been to rural Alaska, I’ve lived in rural Alaska.
August 30th, 2009 at 10:07 AM
I had a hunch that would be your next claim, visitor. I’d invite you to join us and support the memorial fund. Thanks for your generosity.
August 30th, 2009 at 12:01 PM
I remember Ann´s first post here on the comments. From that comment onwards she was unstoppable and she will remain unstoppable with a little help from her friends.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wG6Cgmgn5U&hl=de
I suspect that is what Segundo would want.
August 30th, 2009 at 1:43 PM
@ lettersfromeurope
You said it just right.
http://anonymousbloggers.wordpress.com/2009/08/30/ann-strongheart-discovering-the-new-me-and-grieving-for-the-old/
August 30th, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Just popped in to find out what the rest of the world has been doing and found this post.
Thanks AKM!!
Also as another rural Alaskan, who is lucky enough to live in a village with running water, I still had my eyes opened farther when visiting Ann and Segundo’s village.
Many issues are the same BUT when you add hauling water, lack of easy waste disposal and groceries that can set you back some hefty money (remind me to tell you of the few things we had shipped in from Emo for the funeral and some basic groceries – $591.00!! I did a double take and I am accustom to bush prices!!) the whole picture changes.
Also as much I believe we need to be responsible for ourselves there are so many things facing rural Alaskans that statement is hard to sort out.
I know for my husband, getting life insurance is out of range of probably 90% of others like us. He does the things many do to support us, like commercial fishing, that make it almost impossible to make the payments a part of our budget without much sacrifice.
To feel that a 38 y/o man who is just getting his family started and his nest egg built, and also commercial fished, would be thinking of such things, it just was not an option.
Maybe there are solutions? We will see as we look at options. I can tell you that in my short time in rural Alaska I have seen more untimely deaths that I have in the rest of my life. Most just doing what they do each day and something went ‘wrong’ led to so many dying too early.
Anyway… more to come later but thank you all for the support for Ann and her family. It is helping and giving her strength.
Victoria
August 30th, 2009 at 6:43 PM
Thanks for the information on the Strongheart Memorial Fund, AKM.