Update
Akwesasne, February 22, 2015
A seer from within the Akwesasne community has told family and friends that Kirk Ransom wants to be found. According to a source close to the family, his spirit is saying that he is there and is waiting for rescuers to find him. Many community members have gone to the river bank, where rescue crews are working tirelessly, to conduct traditional Haudenosaunne ceremonies to bring Ransom home, they burn tobacco and send out prayers in an effort to return him to his family and community.
A Hogansburg-Akwesasne volunteer fire fighter told Akwesasne TV, that Ransom’s sled was found underwater. According to the firefighter, a more sophisticated underwater camera is being brought in to help with the recovery.
Little details of the incident have been released, however, rescue crews continue into their sixth day of conducting a search for the missing snowmobiler on the St. Lawrence River east of Hopkins Point. The search was delayed because of sub-zero conditions and choppy water, but officials from the Hogansburg-Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Department, with assistance from the surrounding emergency services, say the search will continue until Ransom is found.
The two men from Akwesasne set off on their skidoos on Sunday, February 15, 2015. However, after nightfall, when they had not returned, their families contacted the RCMP who passed the information on to the Sûrété du Québec.
Officials said the body of one of the snowmobilers, 26-year old Brandon Sweeting, was recovered on Sunday evening around 9:30pm.
The Surete’ du Quebec Underwater Recovery Team has been assisting with the search efforts.
The cause of death is still a mystery, SQ spokesperson Mélanie Dumaresq said. The snowmobiler evidently vanished when his machine allegedly went through the ice on the St. Lawrence River off Hopkins Point Road on Sunday.
Kirk Ransom’s family and friends are very appreciative of the support as donations, prayers and love continue to pour in. They are approaching the one week mark of him being gone..
A GoFundMe online fundraising effort has been launched by the family of Kirk Ransom. The family collectively put Rosie Dinelle in charge of starting the fund “to help offset the costs for the search and recovery efforts to bring Kirk homeâ€. The GoFundMe website page for Ransom is titled, “The Search for Mr. Pink”, and is one of the many nicknames given to Ransom. According to family and friends, Ransom was a loving family man and friend.
Source: Akwesasne TV staff
