TORONTO -- A 23-year veteran of the RCMP, a 'passionate' local teacher, a nurse, and a retired firefighter are among the victims of a violent rampage in Nova Scotia.
The mass killing started Saturday night in Portapique, N.S., and ended with the death of the suspect in Enfield, N.S., on Sunday morning.
In that span of time, numerous people were shot dead or had their homes burned to the ground, with them inside, making the spree the most deadly mass shooting in Canadian history.
LISA MCCULLY
Lisa McCully, a teacher at Debert Elementary, is being remembered by students and colleagues as 鈥渁 shining love鈥� to her family and friends.
Her sister, Jenny Kierstead, told 麻豆影视 that she is thankful for the outpouring of support from the community that clearly loved her sister.
鈥淟isa was an incredible educator and the best mom possible and I think that the influx of messages that we have received is really a testament to the impact that she had on people鈥檚 lives and for that I鈥檓 grateful,鈥� said Kierstead, who also posted a statement to Facebook on Sunday expressing the family鈥檚 heartbreak.
"Our condolences go out to the other family members who are affected by this tragedy. Thank you for your support, it鈥檚 a hard day,鈥� she wrote.
The 49-year-old's death was confirmed by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union Sunday.
鈥�9300 NSTU hearts are broken along with those of her colleagues and students at Debert Elementary, as well as her family and friends who knew her not only as a passionate teacher but as a shining love in their lives,鈥� the statement said.
An obituary for McCully was on Thursday.
According to the obituary, McCully and her sister drove across Canada to Vancouver after finishing university. She then spent 10 years teaching in Vancouver before returning to Nova Scotia to be closer to family.
鈥淟isa had an infectious personality with a ready sense of humour. She lived life 200 percent and was the life of every party,鈥� the obituary read.
A private funeral service will be held on Sunday. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, webcasting of the funeral service will be available.
The family is asking that people donate to Debert Elementary School, Truro Youth Choir or West Colchester Minor Hockey Association in lieu of flowers.
KRISTEN BEATON
In a statement released Monday, the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) confirmed the identities of two other victims, Heather O鈥橞rien and Kristen Beaton, both of whom worked for the health care organization.
鈥淲e have been in touch with their families and are offering our sincere condolences and support during this difficult time,鈥� read a statement from VON president Jo-Anne Poirier.
鈥淎ll of our frontline care providers are heroes. Yesterday, two of those heroes, Heather O鈥橞rien and Kristen Beaton, were taken from their families, and from VON. We mourn their loss, and we mourn for their families.鈥�
Beaton, a continuing care assistant with VON, was a young wife and mother. Her husband, Nick Beaton, said recently she cried everyday worried she would bring COVID-19 home to her son and was vocal about providing more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline workers like herself.
In an interview with 麻豆影视 Chief Anchor and Senior Editor Lisa LaFlamme, Nick Beaton said that he wants to take up his wife鈥檚 torch and fight for more PPE for frontline workers.
He and his wife had heard about the rampage in Portapique the night before she died, but had no idea the shooter was still out there when they woke up the next morning.
鈥淚f I had known he was on the loose, I would have not let my wife leave the house that day,鈥� Beaton said.
Kristen Beaton had been pregnant with the couple鈥檚 second child when she was killed. Her husband said they had been planning to announce the pregnancy to their families this week by having their three-year-old son Dax wear a shirt with the announcement.
鈥淚 want (Canadians) to know, and I want my son to know for his entire life that she loved him more than I鈥檝e seen anybody love anything,鈥� Nick Beaton said. 鈥淎mazing mother, amazing wife.鈥�
HEATHER O鈥橞RIEN
O鈥橞rien, a wife, mother and grandmother, worked as a licensed practical nurse with VON for nearly 17 years, according to the organization.
O鈥橞rien鈥檚 daughter Darcy Dobson said her mother sent her last text message to a family group chat her family at 9:59 a.m. Sunday, 鈥渂y 10:15 she was gone,鈥� Dobson wrote on Facebook.
鈥淭his will be hard but it will not be Heather O鈥橞rien鈥檚 defining moment! I want everyone to remember how kind she was. How much she loved being a nurse. The way her eyes sparkled when she talked to her grandchildren and the way she just LOVED Christmas,鈥� wrote Dobson.
鈥淟et those things define her. Not the horrible way she died."
O鈥橞rien鈥檚 family called her the 鈥渕atriarch鈥� and 鈥済lue鈥� of the family, in a statement provided to 麻豆影视. She was 鈥渟piritual,鈥� 鈥渟tubborn鈥� and 鈥渟arcastically hilarious.鈥� She married in 1985 and had eight children, who were raised in 鈥渁 big home surrounded by love.鈥�
鈥淲e are falling apart without her,鈥� the statement said. 鈥淗er children and grandchildren were the lights of her life and every one of them is missing a piece of their heart.鈥�
O鈥橞rien, who was 55, lost her own mother at the same age in a house fire, the family said.
鈥淚nstead of falling apart, our mother in her early 30s, took a deep breath and tried to fill the shoes of her mother before her,鈥� they said. 鈥淪he also was a mother to many other kids as we were growing up. She never turned anyone away. She didn鈥檛 care who you were, where you had been or what you had done.鈥�
Dobson said in an interview with 麻豆影视 Channel that her mother 鈥渓oved everybody.鈥�
鈥淪he wanted to take care of everybody, that was her goal in life,鈥� Dobson said Thursday. 鈥淪he didn鈥檛 care if it was tough love to take care of you.鈥�
Dobson says her mother had eight children and there are now 12 grandchildren in the family.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all very, very close so this has been one of the most difficult things we鈥檝e ever had to deal with because she really was the glue, she was the top of all of it, she was the matriarch,鈥� Dobson said. 鈥淪he was 鈥榠t鈥� for us.鈥�
Dobson said the family plans to hold a celebration of life for O鈥橞rien in the summer once physical distancing measures are lifted.
JOLENE OLIVER, AARON TUCK, EMILY TUCK
Jolene Oliver, her husband Aaron (Friar) Tuck and daughter Emily Tuck were also among the victims, found in their family home.
Oliver鈥檚 sister, Tammy Oliver-McCurdie, told 麻豆影视 Monday that the family were neighbours of the shooter. She says although they had disagreements in the past her sister mentioned nothing that would have prompted such a vicious attack.
Oliver鈥檚 sister, Tammy Oliver-McCurdie, told 麻豆影视 Monday that the family were neighbours of the shooter. She says although they had disagreements in the past her sister mentioned nothing that would have prompted such a vicious attack.
Speaking to 麻豆影视 via Skype from her home in Alberta, Oliver-McCurdie described her sister as a people lover who enjoyed poetry and life. She said her husband was amazing at fixing cars and making things out of leather.
Emily Tuck, 17, was a 鈥渘atural鈥� fiddler who had been using music to help her family through isolation during COVID-19.
An was posted online on Thursday.
According to the obituary, Aaron Tuck was a 鈥渃rafty individual with a big heart鈥� and was known in the community for fixing up cars.
Emily Tuck, was a 鈥渨onderful blend of both her parents but had her own uniqueness.鈥� She took after her dad鈥檚 knack for craftsmanship and wanted to apprentice as a welder.
鈥淓mily will always be remembered for her kind-heartedness, her sense of humour and her selflessness,鈥� the obituary read.
Oliver enjoyed hobbies including writing poetry, birdwatching and spending time in nature. She was a waitress and enjoyed connecting with people in the community. According to the obituary, she 鈥渓ived her life centered around her family.鈥�
Oliver-McCurdie has started a dedicated to figuring out the logistics of giving her sister and family a burial. She says her family was already struggling financially due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.鈥�
SEAN MCLEOD AND ALANNA JENKINS
Sean McLeod was a corrections officer at Springhill Institution, a federal prison in Springhill, N.S.
He was found in the burnt-out remains of his home in West Wentworth, N.S., roughly 50 kilometres north of Portapique, along with another victim: his partner, Alanna Jenkins, a corrections officer at the Nova Institution for Women in Truro, N.S.
His daughter, Taylor Andrews, lamented the loss on Facebook Monday.
鈥淚 just can鈥檛 wrap my head around the fact that I鈥檒l never be able to call my Dad to ask him some silly question about being a grown up, or see the way my baby鈥檚 face would light up and squeal 鈥楴ana鈥� when she walked through the door,鈥� she wrote of the pair. 鈥淭here鈥檚 just not enough words to even begin to give these two the recognition they deserve for the amazing people they were.鈥�
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair issued a statement about the couple on Tuesday night.
"They worked hard to protect their communities and the inmates under their care," . "Alanna and Sean will be remembered for their commitment to public safety. They will be greatly missed by those who worked alongside them, and the friends and family who loved them."
GREG AND JAMIE BLAIR
Greg Blair and Jamie Blair, a married couple, were also killed in the attack.
In a memorial posted to Facebook, family member Jessica MacBurnie described the couple as "beautiful souls," noting that she has "no words for the heartbreak my family and many others are going through.鈥�
Another by Victoria Lomond, remembered Jamie Blair as a 鈥渃are-free, kind and fun loving woman.鈥�
鈥淚 have never known a love as strong and pure as Jamie and Greg鈥檚,鈥� Lomond wrote.
She said that the couple鈥檚 four boys were 鈥渢he absolute centre of Jamie鈥檚 world,鈥� and that 鈥渢he last moments of her life were spent protecting [the] littlest two from unspeakable harm.鈥�
Karl Kaulback, Greg Blair鈥檚 uncle, told 麻豆影视 that his nephew would 鈥済ive the shirt right off his back for anybody.鈥�
In an interview with 麻豆影视 Channel, one of Greg Blair鈥檚 sons, Tyler Blair said he tried to call his father and step-mother Saturday night but there was no answer.
Blair said he convinced himself that they were asleep. He said he was visited by the RCMP on Sunday afternoon, who confirmed that his dad and Jamie were shot in the attack.
Blair said his dad has a shop across the road from where the killer lived. He said there is a trail leading to Greg and Jamie鈥檚 house from the shop.
Blair said his dad鈥檚 two younger sons, aged 10 and 12, were also in the house the night of the attack but hid until the killer left.
鈥淭hey had seen a lot that night, But I鈥檓 amazed at how strong they鈥檙e being,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淭hey hid in the house until he was gone and then they took off to the neighbours house and hid inside with their two little kids next door until the cops came.鈥�
Blair said his brothers are now living with him and in his care.
Blair described his father as a 鈥渧ery hard worker.鈥� He said most of the family worked for his dad.
鈥淓verybody that met my old man, just loved him,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淗e was about to turn 46 this week and he acted like he was a 20 year old partying with me and my friends all the time, everybody just loved him.鈥�
Blair said his stepmother Jamie had been in his life for about 20 years.
鈥淪he was amazing and became a second mother to me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 just don鈥檛 even have words on how great those two people were.鈥�
A has been set up for the family. Blair says he is overwhelmed by the response it has received.
TOM BAGLEY
Tom Bagley, a retired firefighter, was killed in the shooting spree, 麻豆影视 learned Monday.
In Facebook posts, Bagley鈥檚 daughter and nephew described him as a 鈥溾�� who was known for his 鈥渒indness, caring and incredible story telling.鈥� His daughter, Charlene Bagley, wrote that he died trying to help others.
鈥淸I]f you knew him, you knew that was just who he was all the time. I know he meant something to so many people,鈥� she wrote.
鈥淭om was an awesome individual that could always bring a smile and a laugh any place and in any situation,鈥� Jeff Flanagan wrote about his uncle on Facebook. 鈥淗e was a and was always eager to help anyone he could.鈥�
GINA GOULET
Cancer survivor and denturist Gina Goulet also died in the rampage. In an interview with 麻豆影视 Channel, Diane Muise said her friend had an 鈥渁ll or nothing鈥� spirit.
鈥淪he was absolutely full of life and energy. There was no such thing as doing things a little bit,鈥� said Muise. 鈥淪he went from loving to fish to getting dressed up and doing her salsa dancing.鈥�
Muise said she鈥檒l miss Goulet鈥檚 laugh the most.
鈥淲e just had so much fun, whether it was walking through Costco playing Marco Polo, or driving her Corvette鈥攚e were Thelma and Louise. She was just so full of life.鈥�
Goulet had survived brain cancer once and was on her way to fully recovering from a second diagnosis, which Muise said her friend was taking in stride. Her attitude was: 鈥淚鈥檝e got to beat it and move on. I have so many things to do,鈥� said Muise.
Goulet was a denturist who had her own business, which she operated out of her home in Shubenacadie, N.S. Her friend recalled several times that Goulet visited a woman in her 90s at a hospital to help fit dentures.
鈥淪he loved to make people smile 鈥� literally make their smiles,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he just had a big heart.鈥�
In Facebook posts commemorating the woman, friends said Goulet always exhibited 鈥渇ierce independence鈥� and had a 鈥済utsy spirit鈥� and 鈥渨arm smile.鈥�
鈥淥ur hearts go out to the family, especially her daughter,鈥� wrote Lindy Weilgart on Facebook.
Goulet's only child, Amelia Butler, shared a photo of her and her mother on Facebook, writing 鈥淢y angel,鈥� with a broken heart emoji.
The two were "super close," said Muise.
鈥淪he was so proud of the wonderful young lady she鈥檚 grown into,鈥� she told 麻豆影视 Channel.
CORRIE ELLISON
Corrie Ellison, who was visiting his father in Portapique when he was killed, is being remembered by friends as 鈥渁 beautiful soul.鈥�
A friend of his, Ashley Fennell, told The Canadian Press that she had been friends with Ellison for almost a decade, and that he had always gone out of his way to help those he loved.
"I would call him, and it didn't matter what he was doing, he would jump for me," she said.
His father, Richard Ellison, said he was 鈥渢he type of person that I don鈥檛 think anybody would want to see that happen to him.鈥�
The 42-year-old was on disability support because of an old injury, Fennell said. Ellison had no children of his own, but had offered Fennell money for her son鈥檚 gifts last Christmas and had taken the boy on a trip to a water park once when Fennell was struggling.
鈥淗e was just such a nice guy,鈥� she said.
JOEY WEBBER
According to posted by his partner鈥檚 family, Joey Webber went out on an errand on April 19 and never returned home.
It has been confirmed to 麻豆影视 that Webber was among those killed in the attack.
Webber was a father to three daughters. The two younger daughters he had with his partner, Shanda MacLeod, whose family set up the GoFundMe, to try and support MacLeod and the children in the wake of Webber鈥檚 death. The page said that Webber was the sole provider of the family, and had been out of work due to the pulp mill he worked at having been shut down.
Webber had just returned to work two days before he was killed.
LILLIAN HYSLOP
While out on a regular walk in Wentworth Valley, Lillian Hyslop became one of the victims of the killing spree.
Neighbours Heather and David Matthews said they frequently crossed paths with Hyslop while on walks outside. The day that Hyslop died, the couple had decided to walk a trail by their home instead of on the main road. That was when they heard the gunshot.
Speaking to 麻豆影视, Dave Matthews said he believed if there had been a widespread alert about the shooter still being at large, Hyslop, 鈥渨ouldn鈥檛 have gone out for a walk, and she might not have been killed.鈥�
Hyslop was known for her 鈥渃ommunity spirit,鈥� Heather Matthews told The Canadian Press, and always contributed to local events such as community suppers and activities.
JOY AND PETER BOND
Peter Bond鈥檚 cousins, Deanna Gionet, confirmed in a Facebook post that the couple where victims of the rampage.
"I will never understand heartless inhumane acts like this," read the post. "So tragic for so many."
Gionet said Joy and Peter lived in Portapique, N.S., where the attack took place.
More social media accounts of relatives and a have shared sadness at news of the Bond鈥檚 deaths, saying they "were loved by their family, friends and community.鈥�
FRANK AND DAWN GULENCHYN
Married couple Frank and Dawn Gulenchyn are also victims of the rampage.
In a Facebook post, one of Dawn鈥檚 sons, Jon Farrington, said his mother and stepfather's home had been burned down and he hadn't heard from them.
A has been set up for Jon and Dawn鈥檚 other son, Ryan Farrington.
John Henry, chair and CEO of the Regional Municipality of Durham, extended his condolences to the couple's family in a . Henry said the couple lived in the Durham region in southern Ontario before moving to Nova Scotia.
Dawn worked at the Hillsdale Terraces long-term care home in Oshawa for decades before retiring in 2019, according to Henry.
JOHN ZAHL AND ELIZABETH JOANNE THOMAS
麻豆影视 has confirmed that John Zahl and his wife Elizabeth Joanne Thomas were victims of the attack.
The couple鈥檚 son, Justin Zahl, that he hadn鈥檛 heard from his parents since 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Zahl said his mom would always send him a good night text. But that night, there was no message.
Nova Scotia police have confirmed the couple鈥檚 house burned down. Zahl says his parents were inside.
, Zahl and Thomas met in Nova Scotia but lived in Albuquerque, N.M. for 20 years. The newspaper says Zahl was a retired FedEx employee and also served in the U.S. Navy as a Russian translator while Thomas worked at the University of New Mexico.
The couple later moved back to Nova Scotia, where Thomas is from.
CONST. HEIDI STEVENSON
RCMP Const. Heidi Stevenson also died Sunday morning while responding to the active shooter incident.
Stevenson, a 23-year veteran of the police force, left two children and a husband at home, according to a statement from Nova Scotia RCMP Commanding Officer Lee Bergerman.
鈥淗eidi answered the call of duty and lost her life while protecting those she served,鈥� Bergerman said in the statement.
Those who knew the officer said she was a loving wife who "lived for her family" and worked tirelessly for her community.
"She had a smile that would light up a room. I was thinking last night if I've ever seen her not smiling, and I don't think I ever have," RCMP Sgt. Joe Taplin鈥� told CTV's Your Morning Monday.
"Heidi was all about her family. That was all she ever talked about when she would come to work... I can't even start to put it into words, what [her family] is going through. It just hurts to much."
Stevenson was well known in the RCMP's small N.S. division, according to Taplin who noted "we have all crossed paths in some way."
"She probably saved a lot more lives than we'll ever know doing what she had to do to prevent this individual from causing more harm," he said. "She's probably one of the most wonderful, caring persons that you'd ever come across."
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki described Stevenson as someone with a "great love of life" who was dedicated to her role as an officer. She was also a media spokesperson for Nova Scotia鈥檚 RCMP, where she participated in radio and television interviews for several stories pertaining to police activity in the area.
鈥淎nybody that knows her said she had just a great love of life and she was a hard worker and very dedicated to her chosen career,鈥� Lucki said.
On Wednesday, the RCMP Foundation announced that they would be creating a new Fallen Officer Fund to help Stevenson鈥檚 family in the wake of her death. Donations can be sent through
鈥淥ur thoughts go out to Heidi鈥檚 family and to all of the families impacted by this tragedy,鈥� said Kevin Lawton, Executive Director of the RCMP Foundation, in a press release.
Stevenson鈥檚 family shared an on Thursday.
鈥淗eidi was the neighbor who waved at everyone. She was the busy parent who volunteered at the school. She was the friend who delivered cinnamon buns and homemade bread. She was the second mom to many kids who came over to play. She was the gentle smile when you needed it most,鈥� the obituary read.
鈥淗eidi made an impact on this world and words can鈥檛 begin to express how much she will be missed.鈥�
According to the obituary, a private family service will be held in the coming days and a celebration of life will be planned for a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks people to instead donate to the RCMP Foundation.
RCMP continue to investigate the incident, which involves several crime scenes spread across the province. In a statement Sunday, Premier Stephen McNeil described the massacre as "one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province's history."
With files from The Canadian Press, CTVNews.ca's Alexandra Mae Jones
