Saturday marked the funeral of Samuel Bird, who went missing at the beginning of June and whose body was found in October. Bird, who would have turned 15 in September, was an Indigenous teen whose disappearance sparked thousands of community members alongside his family to take up an area-wide search. That community showed up to support the family en masse at Edmonton’s Connelly-McKinley’s Funeral Home. They were encouraged to gather outside with signs, songs, drums and medicines. Bird’s grandfather Calvin spoke outside the funeral home, explaining that Saturday’s service is the beginning of a two-night wake for his grandson. “Today, we’re just doing our ceremonial part regarding the remains,” he said. “It’s double emotions. We’re sad that we have to put our loved one to rest, but we’re happy that he was found.” Bird’s family searched for him for just over four months before his body was found. His grandfather said the family consider themselves grateful to have found him at all. He also said he was grateful to those who showed up in support of them after all this time. “They’re all strangers to me, but they all knew Samuel. He touched the hearts of everyone,” he added. Bryan Farrell was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and interfering with a body in Bird’s death on Oct. 15. Edmonton police have previously said speculation surrounding the details of the case should stop as they have a “near complete understanding” of the circumstances of the teen’s disappearance and death. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall
