Thunder Bay

Candelight vigil walk for missing woman Deborah Anishinabie in Thunder Bay, Ont.

About 70 people participated in a candlelight vigil walk Thursday night for missing woman Deborah Anishinabie in Thunder Bay, Ont. The 42-year-old was last seen Dec. 5 around 2 a.m. ET leaving New Newfie's Pub. Here are some photos from the event.

About 70 people attended the walk from Simpson Street up May Street

It was about -26 C with the wind chill in Thunder Bay, Ont., last night.

Still, about 70 people gathered on Simpson Street, holding candles in mittened hands and zipping coats over ribbon skirts.

All of it in honour of Deborah Anishinabie.

The 42-year-old was last seen Dec. 5 leaving New Newfie's Pub around 2 a.m. ET. She usually contacts her family daily, but hasn't been seen or heard from since.

A week after her last confirmed sighting, her family organized a candlelight vigil walk to raise awareness about her disappearance with support from Sandy Lake First Nation, where Anishinabie is from.

Participants were led along the snowy sidewalks by hand drummers, going from Simpson Street where Anishinabie was last seen, up May Street and ending at Dairy Queen on Southern Avenue. Some of her friends say it's potentially the route she would use to walk home.

A person is seen sitting on some rocks. They are smiling.
Deborah Anishinabie, 42, is described by her family as a kind and bubbly person who enjoys shopping, spending time outdoors, and playing games. (Donna Wheal photo)

"We can do it. We can bring her home. If everybody talks to everybody, brings this information in, I know we can do it together," said Stacey Fiddler, Anishinabie's cousin.

The family has been conducting searches on the south side of town daily.

"We've covered a lot of ground. There's so much help coming, there's search parties daily and we're mapping it out, highlighting, we're doing pretty good," Fiddler said. "I'm so thankful for all the help we're getting."

Anishinabie was last seen wearing a black jacket, a blue and grey camouflage sweater, black jeans and black running shoes.

She is described as an Indigenous woman who stands five-foot-one and weighs about 180 pounds, with long black hair and brown eyes. She also has a star tattoo on her left shoulder and several smaller tattoos on both of her arms, and was last seen wearing a black jacket, a blue and grey camouflage sweater, black jeans and black running shoes.

Anyone with information about Anishinabie's whereabouts is asked to contact police at 807-684-1200 or submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or p3tips.com.

The family has also asked people to review their security camera footage from Dec. 5 between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. ET. They are also appealing for information from taxi and Uride drivers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Law

Reporter

Sarah Law is a CBC News reporter based in Thunder Bay, Ont., and has also worked for newspapers and online publications elsewhere in the province. Have a story tip? You can reach her at [email protected]