Sask. stabbing rampage victim says she feels 'blessed' to be alive
A 26-year-old woman injured in a stabbing rampage on James Smith Cree Nation says she doesn’t know why she was attacked.
“Right when I saw him with that knife, I was just trying to get away from him right away,” said Galynn Burns.
She says Myles Sanderson gained entry to Brian and Bonnie Goodvoice-Burns house through a basement window. Once inside, he started stabbing people — including Galynn .
“I ran away from him and he chased me,” she said.
Burns says Sanderson first stabbed her in the abdomen but she was able to turn away from him and crouch underneath a table. She then used her forearms to protect herself but was stabbed several times as she tried to block his blows.
“I had my arm up and he was pretty much trying to stab wherever.”
Bonnie Burns and her son Greg were fatally attacked at the house. Gloria Burns was a first responder and relative. She came to the house to help and was stabbed and killed.
“I saw everything that happened in that house,” Burns said.
“He was going after whoever was in his way I guess.”
Burns called her sister who was looking after her children because she thought she might die from her injuries like the others.
“I was more or less saying goodbye to my kids.”
Burns says the attack has left her with “flashbacks”. She says she’s still trying to process what happened and says counsellors have told her that she has PTSD.
“I can’t really remember because it happened so fast.”
The Sept. 4 mass stabbing left 10 dead and 18 injured. The suspects, brothers Myles and Damien Sanderson are both dead.
Damien's body was found in a grassy area on James Smith Cree Nation on Sept. 5. Police do not believe his fatal injuries were self-inflicted.
Myles Sanderson died in police custody after going into medical distress shortly after his arrest on Sept. 7.
Burns says, despite the death of the man she says attacked her, she still has trouble sleeping and has to check that all of the windows and doors are shut and locked before she goes to bed at night.
Burns' parents and boyfriend have been staying with her to help ease her fears.
“I’m not ready to be alone,” she said. “It’s like a daily thing I think about."
Burns was in hospital for five days. Doctors told her a nerve in her arm was severed by the knife. She’s lost all movement in her right, dominant hand and has to wear a hand brace.
She’s taking physiotherapy to try to regain movement in her fingers.
“My biggest fear is that this could be a lifelong disability and I’m hoping to fully recover and get back to my daily activities as a mom,” she said.
Galynn is a mother of four children, ranging in age from ten to one.
She says she knows of other people like her boyfriend's brother who was stabbed and spent several days in intensive care.
“I just picture myself fully recovering and going back to school.”
She says she is fortunate she lives off-reserve so she won’t have to drive by the house where it happened.
“I’m blessed to be here today. Especially for my kids too. They are probably the reason why I’m here today,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.