Three times

Credit: Simona Rosenfield

Story told by Joe Jacobs

I never knew my father. He passed away when I was only 6 months old.

My brother and sister, they were lucky they were never carted away to the residential school, because of my grandparents. They came to the house, trying three times to take my brother and sister, to send them off to residential school. 

But, my grandparents were strong enough to keep them away, not to be taken and sent off to residential school. I give thanks for that too, to my grandparents for being so strong. 

After my father passed away, I was too young to be carted away at 6 months old. My brother was old enough, and so was my sister, to be taken away.

I never knew growing up that they tried to come into the house. I never knew. Maybe about four or five years ago, my sister told me these things.

She says, “We were lucky, how strong Ma and Bubba were, to keep them away.”

I give thanks just about every day for their strength to hold onto the family. Keep them together.