At least 200 members of Ahousaht’s Campbell family and their friends arrived in Port Angeles, WA. on March 16 to honour the people of Lower Elwha and Port Angeles for taking care of them after an August 2011 fatal car accident.
On a summer morning in 2011, Darrell Campbell, Angus Campbell and his daughter Sophie Campbell were riding in Angus’ pickup truck; they had just disembarked from the Coho ferry in Port Angeles on their way to Neah Bay, WA.
They had traveled that day from Victoria, BC and were on their way to a fisheries meeting. They had driven barely five minutes out of town when the truck they were riding in was struck nearly head-on by an SUV that had crossed the highway into their lane of travel.
Darrell E. Campbell, 49, Ahousaht Fisheries Manager, died instantly. Angus, 57, and his 18-year-old daughter Sophie were severely injured and both required extended stays in American hospitals.
Washington State Patrol determined that the driver of the SUV, Steve W. Boyd, 48, was impaired by alcohol and he subsequently pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault.
On July 3, 2012, Steven W. Boyd was sentenced to five years in prison by Clallam County Superior Court Judge Ken Williams.
From the moments immediately following the accident, survivors, Angus and Sophie, were tended to by members of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, in whose territory the accident happened.
The grateful Campbell family planned a feast for the people of Lower Elwha which was hosted by Angus’ sister Bella and his son Francis.
Francis told Ha-Shilth-Sa that his family wanted to thank the people of Klallam and Port Angeles by allowing them to take a seat and be served a meal by the Campbell family. Even though the feast ws in Klallam territory, the Campbell family wanted them to relax, stay out of the kitchen and enjoy some cultural entertainment courtesy of the Campbell family and their friends.
“They helped us through troubled times and we are grateful,” said Francis.
“This is our time to take care of you, so have a seat and enjoy,” Curtis Dick told the crowd.
The Campbell family served up a seafood feast, then started off the cultural portion of the evening with a family procession into the gym. Men sang a paddle song as Angus and Sophie Campbell were led into the room followed by extended family members.
Angus and Sophie were both seriously injured in the accident. The father and daughter were well cared for following the car accident and, while Angus now walks with the assistance of a cane, Sophie no longer shows outward signs of trauma from the accident.
Ahousaht elder Harold Little stood next to Angus and he thanked the people of Lower Elwha on behalf of Ahousaht Ha’wiih (hereditary chiefs). “The Campbell family sends the best of wishes to each and every one of you,” he told them. He then called upon Francis Charles, chairwoman of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, to receive a gift on behalf of the Ahousaht people and the Ha’wiih.
“We cannot express how grateful we are for the things you did for our family,” said Curtis Dick as he stood with hosts Bella, Francis and Joe Campbell. “We want to express our love by sharing our culture – something we are rich in–with you,” he told the people of Klallam.
Dick talked about his relative Angus, calling him the head of the Campbell family. While not all Ahousaht Ha’wiih could be in Lower Elwha that night, they gave their blessings to the Campbell family to carry on with their celebration.
The festivities started with a dance that came from late Mattie Campbell, the grandmother of the clan. James Uukwaqum Swan followed up with a few of his family dances. James is closely related to the Campbell family through his sister Brenda's marriage to Angus.
With elder Louie Frank Sr. speaking for him, Uukwaqum presented several prints he had made to the Campbell family for them to give as gifts to the people of Lower Elwha.
A woman named Anne Marie Fisher was described as a close friend of the family. The Campbells thanked her for coming to the party. They said Angus, who was heavily sedated at the time, still remembers Anne Marie coming to see him at the hospital. They gave her a gift, a token of their appreciation for coming to Angus in his time of need.
With the accident taking place in the U.S. the Campbell family was forced to contend with reams of paperwork both for hospital care and court. They thanked the Victim’s Assistance workers that helped them through the process every step of the way.
“We can’t express to you how much you mean to us; you as total strangers came to help us in our time of need,” said Tom Campbell.
At one point, Angus, Sophie and a third member of the Campbell family were called upon to receive gifts. Four people from Port Angeles wished to acknowledge the family in a culturally-appropriate way. Prosecutor John Troberg, along with three women from his office who helped the Campbells through their ordeal, blanketed them.
Adriana Tilton, Victims Assistance worker at the Prosecutors office, Beverly Lee, Crimes Victims Services Center Advocate, and Forks Abuse Program Director Anne Simpson each blanketed the victims of the accident.
Floyd Campbell accepted a blanket on behalf of the family of his late uncle, Darrell.
“Janice (Darrell’s widow) and her family would have been here for this but it is still too painful for them to do this,” Curtis explained.
“We hope our friendship will never end and we say thanks a million for everything,” he continued.
A local drum group from Lower Elwha shared some songs and dances ending with a local favorite that the crowd joined in called ‘We are One’.
The Lower Elwha group asked the Campbell family to stand as their singers and dancers circled the family to honor them with song.
Muckleshoot elder Les Nelson proudly accepted a beautiful, handmade paddle. The Campbells thanked him for coming to their side and praying over the family in their time of need.
Curtis Dick said he was thankful to the people of Lower Elwha for their prayers and how strong they are in practicing their culture. He noted the number of young people taking part in the singing and dancing.
After a prayer song led by the people of Lower Elwha, the Campbells called Mark Charles. Bella Campbell said she didn’t know him in the beginning but she got to know him because he was always there to help.
“Even when he lost his own father he was still there for us and I never got to tell him I’m sorry (for his loss),” said Bella.
“We want you (Mark) to know you are loved and valued by all of us,” she told him.
“I am real sad about what happened to my nephew (Darrell), but I’m really glad to have my brother and niece still here and we are so grateful and appreciate this community for all you did,” Bella told the crowd.
She told Mark Charles that there would now always be contact between her family and his because of the close bonds they created.
“When I was in the hospital, sometimes I would come out of the morphine and I could remember my sons always talking about this Mark,” Angus said. “I am glad your shoulders were big enough and they were there for my nephew’s family and my son,” he continued.
The Campbell family circled Mark, embracing him and told him he was now adopted into their family.
“We will never forget what you did for us…thank you very much, Mark. You’re now a part of our family and we love you,” Angus said.
The family presented another beautifully hand-carved paddle to Rian Anderson, Blackball Ferry Line Dock Manager.
Angus talked about the long trips from Ahousaht to Port Angeles and how some days the court proceedings would run late. The family would rush to catch the last ferry back to their Vancouver Island home, knowing it was past the scheduled departure time.
“There the Coho Ferry would be, waiting for us,” said Angus.
The family was grateful that the management at Blackball Ferry Lines would support the family by holding their sailings until everybody got there.
They presented Anderson with a paddle and asked him to hang it in Blackball Ferry Lines offices.
