Son’s murder prompts fundraising event

Karen Wiebe used to dedicate her life to teaching children to embrace music.

While part of her still does that, now, most of her life is dedicated to teaching children to not embrace drugs.

It took the cold murder of her son to set her on that path.

***

Karen was my music teacher in junior high school. Most of the members of my a capella group met in her class. Her influence spurred our passion for music.

We performed together at TJ Wiebe’s funeral.

And now we're performing at a fundraising event that will, we hope, save other families from the anguish the Wiebe family experiences every day.

***

TJ Wiebe disappeared in January of 2003. It was weeks before the 20-year-old’s body was discovered in the snow dozens of kilometres outside of Winnipeg.

Four men were arrested and tried for his murder. Three were convicted but one was acquitted.

TJ's murder was brutal. Every murder is brutal, but Karen and Floyd, her husband, shared the details with me about a year after his death. It still brings tears to my eyes to think about it, especially the loneliness and fear he must have felt while he died alone in that frozen field.

There is no comfort for them that he died a quick death. It was a long, torturous death that began with a betrayal by one of his best friends and ended in death.

A death I wouldn't wish on anyone.

Now, four years later, the courtroom trials are over, but it's never over for Karen, Floyd, and TJ’s siblings Stacey and Chad.

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Family friend James Bloomfield suggested the Wiebes put together a gala fundraising event to raise money for the TJ Wiebe Educational Awareness Fund, a drug-awareness fund that is accessible to teachers through the Louis Riel School Division.

Ticket sales are brisk and they expect to sell out far before the May 16 show, says Floyd, whose family lives in St. Vital.

“We’re hard to say no to,” he says.

Floyd and Karen have been doggedly approaching everyone from friends and family to small and large businesses. They’ve sold more than 25 corporate tables at $1,000 each, including tables to Premier Gary Doer and Mayor Sam Katz.

“This is a bittersweet victory,” says an emotional Floyd. “Every time I sell a corporate table, I shed a tear. I’m so excited that we’ve sold another table, but then I’m saddened about why we’re doing it in the first place.”

Karen smiles sadly but doesn’t say anything. I’ve seen that sad smile on her face much too often over the past four years.

***

The reasons behind TJ’s murder were complicated, but they did involve drugs. TJ’s family was finally making headway into getting their son away from the dangers of being involved in the drug trade. He had been arrested the year before for possession of marijuana and the reality of being arrested sunk in for him. He was getting out. The family was healing.

Then it all ended, says Karen, in a way no family should have to go through.

***

As I listen to Karen and Floyd talk about the gala fundraiser, Stacey and Chad get ready for one last ski weekend before the snow melts. Floyd makes a point of embracing both his adult children and telling them that he loves them before they go – and to be safe.

TJ’s Gift Gala Evening is being held on May 16 at Canad Inns Polo Park. Tickets are $75 each and the evening features a four-course dinner and entertainment by vocal ensemble Mindset and dance orchestra Legacy, The Bunkowsky Family Band. For tickets e-mail floyd@tjsgift.com.