On July 30, 2019, 40 km from Rigolet, Melinda Rich and Andrew Michelin lost their lives when their boat capsized while they were on their way to Michelin’s family cabin.
At the time, RCMP said rescuers found two teenage girls alive, sitting on the capsized boat.
By donating life jackets to the Labrador community of Rigolet at the start of each boating season, the two families of the two drowning victims are working to try and prevent others from drowning as well.
Geraldine Penny was Melinda Rich’s Aunt, and it inspired her to start a family project in memory of both Melinda Rich and Andrew Michelin.
Geraldine said “When I got back home, I said we need to do something, you know, we need to do something to keep Melinda and Andrew’s memory alive and to try to prevent this from happening again.”
In 2022, and this year, 2023, the late Andrew Michelin and the late Melinda Rich’s families gathered life jacket donations and organized a draw, to give to people who needed them.
The Nunatsiavut Department of Health and Social Development in Rigolet has life jackets that people can sign out for free, and after hearing that idea, Michelin’s family was very interested in helping.
Geraldine Penny, the late Rich’s Aunt says “Not only her family was devastated, the whole community was devastated, and if we can help one family or one person not to have to go through what we went through, it’s all worth it.”