Thirty-year-old Frank Gruben, from Aklavik, was declared missing on May 6 last year. His disappearance in Fort Smith was followed by a weeks-long investigation and volunteer-led searches that proved futile.
His mother, Laura Kalinek, remembers him as the “kindest person” – friendly, outgoing and with a love of cooking.
Kalinek said she and her son, Steven, are taking counselling after another member of their family passed away last year.
“We’ve been going through quite a bit. It’s tough. I said we have to move forward. We can’t keep staying in one spot,” she told Cabin Radio last week.
“I don’t have to accept it, no matter what, but I just wish for answers and for closure. That’s what I need. It’s too hard every day … who knows when your time is going to be? You have to cherish the memories and be thankful for every day.”
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Earlier this year, APTN released a four-part series detailing how the investigation was conducted, including the efforts of volunteers and the role of the RCMP.
In a September interview, RCMP spokesperson Cpl Matt Halstead said a lack of leads had been an issue in moving the case forward.
“In terms of next steps, we’re waiting for new information to present itself,” he said at the time, while Steven Gruben has criticized the approach police took toward his brother’s case.
Frank was last seen on Fort Smith’s Field Street in a surveillance video. Despite interviewing everyone present in the footage, investigators didn’t uncover anything that hinted at Frank’s whereabouts.
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“I wish we could have more help at the start. Then things could have been different,” Kalinek said. Like Steven, she feels the RCMP response was too relaxed in the initial days of the investigation.
“We’re native, too, we should all be treated the same. You don’t go picking people who you’re going to care for and what you’re going to do for them,” she said.
Kalinek said the family has received a lot of support from the community in Fort Smith to help find Frank. She believes some people have information that could lead to Frank’s discovery and she wishes they would speak up.
In January, Frank’s family released purple lanterns into the sky in his memory.
“We’ve had that planned for a while and it’s sort-of like, I guess you could say letting go,” said Kalinek.
“We have to let go of him so he can rest. It lifts so much off of you when you do something like that,” she said. “Especially having your community behind you.”
