‘Well loved’: Family remembers man who lost life on Lake Winnipeg

A man who lost his life on Lake Winnipeg is being remembered by his loved ones as a hard-working family man, mourning 31-year-old Tyler Ballantyne as they continue to search for two others who have been missing on the massive body of water since June 28. 

“To be able to find them and bring them home is something that we are trying to do. We’re not giving up,” said Ryan Ault, Ballantyne’s cousin. 

“He was very well loved. He had, well he’ll have seven children right away. His spouse if pregnant right now, so he was a good family man, a young family man.”

Ault said everyone is devastated by the loss of the 31-year-old father and fourth-generation fisherman, who alongside two other men, were in the north basin of the lake when they stopped to hunt a moose, and then failed to return home.

Ballantyne’s remains have been the only set recovered so far and the tragedy has left the entire Misipawistik Cree Nation heartbroken. 

Ault says more equipment is needed to continue to search, as they’re trying to locate the craft the three men were travelling in to try and narrow the search area.

“To bring closure for the families, we’re such a tight-knit community, the search efforts are going on every day.” 

RCMP meanwhile says in a statement, “This is such tragic circumstances but to see the outpouring of support from people within the community and outside the community has been amazing. In speaking with the families they are so very thankful for all the support from people who are helping with the search, the lodging, food for the searchers…”

As for Ault, he says many don’t understand how volatile Lake Winnipeg can be, saying the conditions can change in an instant leaving even experienced fisherman in awe, but reiterates the search for the other two men continues full force. 

“We’re out there right now. Our focus is we’ve got one our brothers home and we’re going to bring home two more.”