Paula Tutman: How one story changed me

Always listened politely but never challenged myself to learn more until now

An indigenous nation in Canada said it has found 751 unmarked graves at a former residential school in Saskatchewan, according to the BBC.

The discovery only came weeks after the remains of 215 children were found at a similar residential school in British Columbia. The discoveries are forcing a new recognition that reaches the United States as well.

If a reporter is lucky, in a long career, there will be a handful of stories that change her. On Tuesday, I reported on one that did.

Not often, but often enough, my dear friend told me about her mother and how being in residential schools for Native Americans and Canadians affected her life. I always listened politely but never challenged myself to learn more, until Tuesday when she introduced me to her aunt.

Big thanks to my photographer and partner Justin DePrekel for editing an extended version of our story. It was just that important to hear more of it.

Watch the extended version in the video above.


About the Author

Paula Tutman is an Emmy award-winning journalist who came to Local 4 in 1992. She's married and the stepmother of three beautiful and brilliant daughters. Her personal philosophy in life, love and community is, "Do as much as you can possibly do, not as little as you can possibly get away with".

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